"Stream-of-consciousness does not suit the theory of access to space.
imho... "
Perhaps, I should have asked what you meant.
And America Spirit- non filtered.
My theory of access to space is based upon what I think is the critical importance of developing markets in Space.
[And I think that if NASA had a clue, it should do things which encourage the development of markets in space. And as I read their charter, that is the task they were entrusted to perform.]
So for example:
Determining whether water can be mined on the moon at a profit is one way of having a market in space. The market for lunar water would at the lunar surface.
I would guess that the price of lunar water at the lunar surface would need to be around $500 per lb.
And one would need electrical power on the Lunar surface which could bought for about $50 or $100 per Kw/h.
The basic cost of making rocket fuel would be: $500 for water, $500 or less for electrical power per lb of rocket fuel made. This means one could sell LH&LOX for about $2000 per lb.
Or more specifically, LOX for $1500 per lb and LH2 for $6000 per lb, or perhaps LOX $1200 per lb and LH2 for $8400 per lb.
Whatever it would be I would imagine the LH2 is more valuable than the LOX.
And if anyone mines iron or aluminum on the moon, Oxygen would be a "waste" product. About 40% of the mass of the surface of the Moon is oxygen- so if there is any serious amount mining, you going to have a lot of LOX.
Water obviously is requires the less amounts of energy to get LOX or Hydrogen- though iron ore is also fairly low energy cost to get Oxygen.
In terms of rocket fuel most of the mass is LOX.
Anyways, the point is if lunar miner can sell as much lunar water at the lunar surface as they can mine, and they sell it as low as $500 per lb.
So million per ton, selling thousand of ton or more per year within the first few years of operation.
Though perhaps the first 1000 tons may be
2 million a ton. Or maybe just the first 100 tons is 2 million a ton.
What isn't minable water, is if it's instead the asking price has to be say $5000 per lb of lunar water for hundreds tons, nor is electrical power worth hundreds of dollars per kw/h for millions of Kw/h. Now, I am not trying to determine what the market price for water, power, or rocket fuel would be, rather I'm simply "looking" at the possible range it might be.
Anyways, the company that makes rocket fuel, would sell rocket fuel at the lunar surface. That company or a different company could sell water or rocket fuel at lunar orbit [and/or L-1 or GEO or Mars orbit]
I believe that LEO won't be profitable to sell lunar water at. Of course, I think my idea of "water in orbit" deals with LEO. Nor do I think we have to wait until it's determined whether or not the Moon has minable water, to do "water in orbit"- ideally, I think "water in orbit" should be done now.
And obviously if you had a gas station in LEO, that could be also looking at selling water in Earth high orbit and beyond- or selling rocket fuel to a different company using tugs which use rocket fuel at LEO, and moving water from LEO to higher orbit.
Space/Science » in reply to WHAT are you smoking?
re: WHAT are you smoking?
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