The problem is, first the hose, but also, the change in delta v.
So - only way we know to build a hose like that is suspended from above as the "space elevator" which we don't quite have the technology to build yet, no materials quite strong enough but may in the future.
Space elevator
What is a Space Elevator?
But even with a Space Elevator - well you have to build it so that it is stationary over some point on the surface of the Earth - usual idea is to have the coutnerweight way above geostationary orbit so it sort of balances at geostationary once a day orbit of the Earth.
However you do it - then you have the problem of the delta v. No way the space elevator could supply fuel to LEO, at least - you could send the fuel up it - but still it needs somehow to get that 27,600 km/hour (or 7.666... km/second) delta v to reach the ISS.
However, there are also lots of ideas for non rocket space launches. Many of these require huge accelerations of tens, even hundreds of gs, no good for humans but fine for water or fuel. Just fire into orbit as pellets.
Sort of a giant hose sending the water and fuel into orbit.
But perhaps more likely instead of just pouring water out into the sky at high delta v - problem of how to catch it at the other end in space - in tiny maneuverable rocket ships - we have technology to build rocket engines that can withstand very high g developed for missiles.
So could build lots of those, each one carries a small amount of fuel or water to space, but still, because they are mainly propelled by the launch system, with just a bit of corrective delta v to go into orbit once there - are relatively simple in construction, single stage, should hugely reduce cost of supply to orbit.
Or else - big freighters, but again simple construction, single stage rockets, and not needing much fuel just for course correction once they reach orbit - launched again by maglev or similar, at high accelerations of tens or hundreds of gs. You can use the same method for humans but needs far longer track, rising into the sky, because we can only withstand low accelerations.
Lots of ideas been suggested for this, see Non-rocket spacelaunch
Does have some safety issues I think that you'd need to consider. If it gets technologically really easy to launch materials to orbit, what's to stop some country with military ambitions from turning this into a weapon to send missiles to other countries, giant space gun?
But - that is the case for just about all ideas for making it easy to get to orbit. That the technology to do that gives any nation with that ability basic ICBM type capablities. If it gets as easy to fly into orbit as it is to fly over the atlantic, just need to hijack an orbital spacecraft to give your country ICBM capability.
So also if is as easy to send materials into orbit in this way, same thing applies.
I think that if this future arrives not too suddenly then our society will adapt as it has already to many other powerful technologies, to keep them reasonably safe politically, but is something to bear in mind.
On plus side, this ability to supply the ISS from the ground using maglev or similar at low cost could also be used, e.g. to deliver emergency supplies very quickly to anywhere in the world e.g. after a tsunami or earthquake or volcano eruption or whatever, then within half an our or so of the disaster would have emergency relief parcels descending from the sky sent to the area via this maglev rocket gun technology at low cost, maybe lower cost than flying it in.
- The ISS is traveling at 27,600 km/h. So the water air and fuel has to speed up to that speed.
- And for the hose, well something has to support it's weight, because we can't build skyscrapers or scaffolding hundreds of kilometers high yet (space station at 330 km).
So - only way we know to build a hose like that is suspended from above as the "space elevator" which we don't quite have the technology to build yet, no materials quite strong enough but may in the future.
Space elevator
What is a Space Elevator?
But even with a Space Elevator - well you have to build it so that it is stationary over some point on the surface of the Earth - usual idea is to have the coutnerweight way above geostationary orbit so it sort of balances at geostationary once a day orbit of the Earth.
However you do it - then you have the problem of the delta v. No way the space elevator could supply fuel to LEO, at least - you could send the fuel up it - but still it needs somehow to get that 27,600 km/hour (or 7.666... km/second) delta v to reach the ISS.
However, there are also lots of ideas for non rocket space launches. Many of these require huge accelerations of tens, even hundreds of gs, no good for humans but fine for water or fuel. Just fire into orbit as pellets.
Sort of a giant hose sending the water and fuel into orbit.
But perhaps more likely instead of just pouring water out into the sky at high delta v - problem of how to catch it at the other end in space - in tiny maneuverable rocket ships - we have technology to build rocket engines that can withstand very high g developed for missiles.
So could build lots of those, each one carries a small amount of fuel or water to space, but still, because they are mainly propelled by the launch system, with just a bit of corrective delta v to go into orbit once there - are relatively simple in construction, single stage, should hugely reduce cost of supply to orbit.
Or else - big freighters, but again simple construction, single stage rockets, and not needing much fuel just for course correction once they reach orbit - launched again by maglev or similar, at high accelerations of tens or hundreds of gs. You can use the same method for humans but needs far longer track, rising into the sky, because we can only withstand low accelerations.
Lots of ideas been suggested for this, see Non-rocket spacelaunch
Does have some safety issues I think that you'd need to consider. If it gets technologically really easy to launch materials to orbit, what's to stop some country with military ambitions from turning this into a weapon to send missiles to other countries, giant space gun?
But - that is the case for just about all ideas for making it easy to get to orbit. That the technology to do that gives any nation with that ability basic ICBM type capablities. If it gets as easy to fly into orbit as it is to fly over the atlantic, just need to hijack an orbital spacecraft to give your country ICBM capability.
So also if is as easy to send materials into orbit in this way, same thing applies.
I think that if this future arrives not too suddenly then our society will adapt as it has already to many other powerful technologies, to keep them reasonably safe politically, but is something to bear in mind.
On plus side, this ability to supply the ISS from the ground using maglev or similar at low cost could also be used, e.g. to deliver emergency supplies very quickly to anywhere in the world e.g. after a tsunami or earthquake or volcano eruption or whatever, then within half an our or so of the disaster would have emergency relief parcels descending from the sky sent to the area via this maglev rocket gun technology at low cost, maybe lower cost than flying it in.
About the Author
Robert Walker
Writer of articles on Mars and Space issues - Software Developer of Tune Smithy, Bounce Metronome etc.Studied at Wolfson College, Oxford
Lives in Isle of Mull
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