Just for the sake of far-flung speculation:<br /><br />If such was possible, you would still have to install stage heaters to maintain the temperature. You'd also have to do something about equalizing pressure. Also, while steam seems lighter than air, it is still just made of water "vapor." It just has some extra heat added to it and, depending upon pressure, won't go very far on it's own. So, you'd have to pump it. That requires extra pressure compensation. In turn, the extra pressure makes the steam less dense and more likely to condensate. So, you have to add more heat. etc etc.. The amount of force required to pump such a collumn of steam into orbit would be excessive I would think. Fairly soon, you would probably reach energy consumption that would rival just lifting the water with conventional means.<br /><br />There's an industrial sized gas-fired boiler at our facility. It puts out enough BTU's to heat an entire neighborhood. (30 homes or so.. It's not that much really, but it's impressive compared to a residential unit.) It's about the size of a VW Minibus and scary as heck when it gets "angry." heh heh. The gas company guys think it's a dinosaur, but I kind of like it. It's old.. but it's got style.<br /><br />Anyway, we still have occasional problems with steam-lines. They're not alot of fun to play with either. Maintaining industrial steam lines is a major industry in and of itself. To maintain a steam line to the stars.. well.. that would keep a small country fairly busy I bet. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>