Re: Whole Earth and Roamer

From: Old Physics (skearney7_at_earthlink.net)
Date: 07/20/04 

Date: 19 Jul 2004 19:55:26 -0700

> : Applied Space Resources had a plan to return about 10kg of lunar
> : material. The target date was for Sep. 2000. Apparently a rock from
> : the soviet luna mission of 1970, of about 200 mg, sold for more than
> : $400000. At that price, twenty two pounds of rocks would sell for ten
> : billion bucks. Samples retrieved from the surface should show the
> : characterstic of micrometeorite impacts, from all angles, on the top
> : side.
>
> But you know that with more supply the demand would go down as well giving
> cheaper prices. And if it could be done once it could be done again.
>
> But that doesn't mean that "rock hounds" wouldn't shell out what is needed
> to start and maintain a "Lunology" collection of sorts. First the wealthy
> and institutions and then the rest of us. :)

    Actually if the samples are documented right, their value could go
up. Even a 0.25 mm spherule would have a pedigree, high resolution
micrographs of where it was found and an examination under a SEM once
it was returned to earth. The pictures and a serial number could be
put on an international registry that could be accessed over the
internet. For many researchers the sample they have been given by
NASA is measured in micrograms. Micrometeorite impacts from objects a
hundredth the width of a hair, are often seen. This would be
virtually impossible to reproduce.
    Ten kg amounts to more than 100 million spherules. Mounted on a
stem and encased in a small optical glass chamber filled with helium,
for viewing under a microscope, could maybe sell for 20- 30 dollars.
    
> : The pitting could be authenticated under a scanning electron
> : microscope, even its age since deposition could be estimated. It
> : might even be possible to make an SEM that would work in the natural
> : vacuum. A down payment for the actual return to earth might be made
> : when the rock is put in the basket.
> : While I hope Transorbital's trablazer is a success, there won't
> : be nearly the market for pictures of the moon from orbit that there
> : would be for the earth from orbit, or from a rover on the moon's
> : surface. Revisiting the eagle or Tarus Littrow will appear far more
> : majestic from a two ft eye level.
>
> You know going back just to see where we were 35 years ago is enough
> reason. Heck add in the new exploration aspects, as a test for a return
> mission to Mars, and you really have some value.
>
    Certainly public relations value. I think any manned mission to
mars should stay in orbit and tele operate surface robots that collect
and send up samples.

> : Given the press for what noone would call Rutan's folly, a mission
> : with HD video 24/7 during the lunar day, might just have legs. A
> : legend on its own dime.
>
> I wouldn't call Rutan's suborbital flight "folly". But since the last
> shuttle mission was a year and a half ago it stands to reason that the
> press would be sympathetic.
>
> Eric

    Nothing succeeds like success. The media are suckers for a
romantic enterprize, and so am I.
>
     Thanks for your post,
     Stephen kearney

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Whole Earth and Roamer
    ... :>: characterstic of micrometeorite impacts, from all angles, on the top ... A down payment for the actual return to earth might be made ... :>: be nearly the market for pictures of the moon from orbit that there ... :> mission to Mars, and you really have some value. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: 2004 MN4 impact risk (Torino scale 2 risk)
    ... >> Let me be the first of many to suggest that a mission ... all the high tech pieces are here on Earth ... It's in an orbit which poses an extended threat to Earth, ... the subsequent ones are still high risk. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • asteroid 2004 MN4
    ... caused by its close encounter with the earth in April 2029. ... The ideas advanced for trying to modify its orbit with a mission sooner ...
    (sci.space.tech)