I got positively excited reading the amount of wise and elaborate comments on BB regarding raising a bird's orbit thru magnetic fields.

It is showing expertise and individuals capable and knowledgeable aimed to the future.

Just to add some thoughts will like to comment experience on recent satellites.

It is amazing what recent CO Japanese Cubesats are doing with magnetorquers. They can keep a 1 degree Z plane accuracy pointing to earth !! . It is also amazing I can copy 80mw CW from these birds quite strong and readable, due their antennas are pointing right to earth. These sats have magnetometers able to resolve a small fraction of a Gauss in three planes, so they know where they are, and which direction is pointing the earth magnetic field.

So at the right point at the right satellite position these birds could send controlled pulses to one or more magnetorque coils with objective of producing a repelling force against earth magnetic field.

Being satellite in stable and known attitude, then a small force can do things and perhaps raise her orbit. Their small keps decay rate possibly could be overcomed thus keeping a healthy and longer life for the bird. This could be useful for valuable satellites endangered by low orbit as those launched from the ISS.

Just dreaming on possibilities.

Thanks much for time and comments !

All,

So why is the maglev principle (magnetic levitation) http://www.google.be/search?hl=nl&q=maglev&meta= not applicable in space?

Magnetic levitation applied to trains generates an upward force equal and opposite to the earth's gravitation.

BR,

There are no steel rails up in the sky... ;-)

-jari oh3uw