Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to re: Try Using Scientific Terms

Probably Confused with Podrock
Marsby — (archived)

Still, you come across as technically competant to me. Not sure where you were going with the last post however on orders of magnitude. In the end you seem to agree cheap oil doesn't have all that much longer.

A 1.5 year mssion in the absence of resupply requires a big leap in sustainable space presence. I don't see how you can claim that doesn't represent progress toward a sustainable presence particularly in a location where key resources that represent the bulk of expendables can be readily obtained locally. It is a leap that will enable lunar tourism as well, that will not necessarily occur on an incremental path content to take it slow and easy.

I agree a space elevator will open the solar system, but am not sure it is any more technically feasible than fusion at this point. Carbon nanotubes have the theoretical strength needed, but only as continuous filiments and making anything that long has never been demonstrated. Reusable chemical rockets for LEO and nuclear rockets for deep space are probably sufficient and clearly feasible. The problem is the lack of a driving force to develope them. This is a problem with a huge barrier to entry, but not nearly that much difficulty in sustaining once reaching an insitu resource utilization plateau. I see Mars as potentially being the equivalent of California in developing rail technology and America in developing ocean vessels. LEO/Lunar tourists sites are an alternative equivalent, but the economics of supplies are less favorable, while the time barrier is much more favorable. I think it is best we choose a path that allows all potential methods of breaching the barrier to proceed. Develope heavy lift to open the frontier of Mars and LEO while encouraging private enterprise in NES.

Incidently part of my long term interest in Mars is from the environmental standpoint of using knowledge gained from terraforming Mars to take better care of Earth.

Regards,
Mark

Log in or register to post.

The whole thread (59 posts)