Thanks.  Making the scenery realistic is a prime mover in selling an idea
like this.  Even some wooden-headed congress critter might be impressed by those
odd stirrings of imagination that hits them and sign a few checks.
    In the modeling phase, I find that about 14 tons of Kevlar cable (tapered
and rolled on the drum) reaching 80 kilometers could hoist a 5 ton payload
capsule pretty nicely.
    With about a 15 minute turnaround time, the lift platform could haul 5 such
containers up to exo-atmospheric space in about an hour.  Then, to refuel its
reaction mass, it would drop a container into an ocean or lake and snag 5 tons
of water.
    As long as it has water and sunlight, this platform could continue to hover
on rocket thrust and haul payloads up and down at will.  Superheating the water
is the trick- temperature is velocity!
    Anyway, enough of my rant.  Back to scribbling equations and modeling them.

Cheers!

Chip Shults
My robotics, space and CGI web page - http://home.cfl.rr.com/aichip

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