Current Events > Why don't we just hurl all the heat into outer space

(+) Yeah! (+)

Like suppose we have a big bug net that catches big space rocks and brings them back down to earth. Then we can let them heat up in the earth's atmosphere for a few days and then fling them off through the galaxy.

And the whole thing is hydro powered so it doesn't make more carbon.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Pretty much, yeah.

Actually we can do better than hydro.

When it catches the rock, the rock's momentum makes the earth spin a little faster. Then we just use this extra momentum to hurl the rocks away. It would just take a little energy to get them high enough to ride the space elevator.

ok we'll just get started on that big bug net that catches big space rocks

right after we finish the high speed train that goes across the country

just wait right here, read a book or something

GuerrillaSoldier posted...

just wait right here, read a book or something

Arthur C Clarke here I come.

We already do hurl heat into outer space. Like the planet is constantly radiating heat.

You do realize that a space rock is likely already much hotter than the temperatures on earth unless it has been shaded from solar radiation for a lengthy period of time right?

Just do the Futurama thing, push Earth's orbit out a bit to lower temps, and declare a party week as a result of making the year seven days longer.

realnifty1 posted...

You do realize that a space rock is likely already much hotter than the temperatures on earth unless it has been shaded from solar radiation for a lengthy period of time right?

But isn't outer space cold

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

isn't outer space cold

yes. such as some users. they're cold as fuck.

TC doesn't understand radiation.

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

But isn't outer space cold

Outer space is cold, because it is a vacuum. Objects in outer space are hot relative to how much solar radiation they absorb and they generally absorb a lot because of the vacuum thing there is nothing else around to protect them.

realnifty1 posted...

You do realize that a space rock is likely already much hotter than the temperatures on earth unless it has been shaded from solar radiation for a lengthy period of time right?

really? mars only goes up to like 20C at the hottest and I'm pretty sure the asteroid belt is like -80C or something

kirbymuncher posted...

really? mars only goes up to like 20C at the hottest and I'm pretty sure the asteroid belt is like -80C or something

When he was talking about getting rocks I assumed he meant near earth, not going all the way out to Mars, but even then you have to bring it back and objects near earth are close enough to the sun to get really hot in space. The ISS tops out around 250 F in direct sunlight. Iron core rocks would go even hotter, but pulling rocks out of near earth are likely to be 200 F plus.

Or what if we did the gravitational flyby thing except with heat instead of gravity

That sounds more efficient than building a big bug net