The City of Zalem

[Jsmon]

Hello folks!

I today bring you a challenge which I would very like to see happening.

It is based on a Manga titled Battle Angel Alita, also known as Gunnm. In this world, the low lives in the "Dump" under the floating city of Zalem, where the High, Bourgeoisie people live. I won't get too deep in the details, but it looks something like this.

Basically, you have three main parts:

The actual city, which floats over the Earth.

The Skyhook, which connects the city and a space station in space.

And the actual Space Station, up in space, which is suppose to somehow balance everything in order to make it stand still.

Also, do note that the whole thing doesn't move, meaning that it, in theory, is moving at the same speed as the planet's rotation.

Do-able? Probably not, but I'd love to see someone do something similar. No need to do a city of course, just find a way to make two poles stand still in the air.

[Tommygun]

I think Hooligan Labs and KAS system would do most of this?

Well not as tall.

Hooligan Labs:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/23774-0-19-1-HL-Airship-and-Party-Experimentation-Center-New-Rigid-Envelope-Dodec

KAS system:

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/0-18-2-kas-kerbal-attachment-system-v0-1/

[Kerbies_are_my_Minions]

I would like to point out several main Flaws with this. Not that I don't like the idea, but fantasy based things often do not work out so well.

First off, the issue with attachment systems and distance rendered. It has been discussed many times, but, KSP has a part render distance of only about 2k, I think, maybe a bit more. But even if it was 10 K, we will run into the same problem... Part render means exactly what it sounds like. It means that no parts beyond that distance are physically being rendered. Take your city, for instance... if you're focused on the city, the station isn't being rendered, thuss, neather is it's attachment system. Link broken. If you switch focus to the station, the city is not being rendered. This is the biggest flaw that is preventing the construction of dyson sphers and space bridges.

Second, is with the space station's movement relitive to the city. This is called Geosyncronious Orbit. and there is a very spacific distance form any planet at which this takes place. In KSP, it is completely possible, however, the orbit altitude is roughly 2868 km. That is way beyond Low Kerbin Orbit... that's a stand alone station out in space.

I am currently working on a ground station with a geosync orbiting station above it, so the idea is valid in that since. But recognize that this is a FAR distance to assume as linked together by any physical cable. AND our render distance is going tho thwart our plans to have them linked anyways. I would, however, like to see a floating city maybe 1k off the ground with a slums city below it, though.

.... I tink I'll go download Hulagans Airships now. lol

[sal_vager]

Jsmon, it's a good idea to try your own challenge before posting it, as then you could experience the technical limitations yourself and modify your challenge accordingly.

Good luck to anyone who actually tries this, as I expect you'll have a lot of lag issues with anything even approaching village sized.

[Technical Ben]

That and space elevators don't work in KSP. :/

Might be able to do something on Gilly though. That thing has stupid low grav.

[Kerbies_are_my_Minions]

O.o I tottally misread the Mod's comment as "Jason..." and was like, "What did I do?!"