interchangability/resuability or efficiency? especialy when energy is going to be a valuable comodity on Mars (it should probably be used as currency, its much more useful than gold).

it is a good idea, but its not very efficient, especially when it comes to energy usage. the arial motor might take up more valuable resources while it would be a wast to include those in the shovel motor. Although it might make sense to to keep the motors the same size, to where the arial motor can be used for the shovel but not vice versa, the ariel motor might need different rpm settings for eficiency, and might have to be included in the motor desin to avoid the space/weight taken up by a transmission. . .

I guess the thing would be to make things sorta interchangable i.e. "yeagh it'll work/get you home if it fails but it won't work well. . ."

-Justin Kelly