Re: Global wireless hotspot

On Jan 4, 6:30 am, Ian Parker <ianpark...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On 4 Jan, 01:15, Willie.Moo...@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

I'll stick with my system since I understand the details better.

OK but I think that if you really want to get your proposals accepted
you should look round at all the alternatives. OK at the end of the
day you may reject them for one reason or another.

I feel myself that pebbles are the only long term solution. In fact we
may simply be talking about granualarity. You are (in effect)
proposing boulders. Boulders will in fact have to perform FFTs as
well.

  - Ian Parker

My experience is if you hit someone with a clearly worked out system
that does the job, it has far better chance of being understood and
supported than hitting someone with a broad variety of alterantives
none of which is clearly worked out. That is, what you suggest is an
approach to marginalize the concept (global wireless internet) by
being fuzzy about the technology.

I mean, vonBraun didn't talk about a dozen different launcher
systems. He spoke of a multi-stage chemical rocket that could put
payloads into orbit and assemble fleets of chemical rockets to go to
the moon and mars. He spoke of this common vision for 35 years from
the 1940s to the 1960s - where he had the opportunity to actually
build elements of his larger vision to achieve incredible things -
like landing men on the moon.

This would not have been achieved if he varied from his core theme
because the idea of space travel would have been marginalized had he
introduced nuclear rockets, ion propulsion, and so forth - which are
viable expansions of space capabilities - but dilutes the impact and
reasonableness of the core message - interplanetary travel is
possible.

My message is similarly simple.

Tapping off-world resources is possible

and a way to reduce cost of technology and industrial development as
well as its impact on the Earth's biosphere.

Terrestrial solar power is a way to harvest at low cost off-world
resources. Space solar power is the next step. Between those two, is
space based information services. Beyond space solar is advanced or
sun centered solar power, and after that, asteroidal deflection,
capture and mining. Then finally, universal commercial access to
space - i.e. space homes (Asimov called them spomes)

I envision a rather simple extension of todays multi-stage space
launch system. Existing engines in a mult-element reusable vehicle.
The system is very similar to Bono's 7 element mars vehicle. I
envision a Delta Class 7 element launcher, to put up comsats. Then a
larger Nova Class 7 element launcher to put up powersats. These pay
the bills, but part of the profits are used to expand markets - that
means space tourism and a minimum manned moon mission with the smaller
launcher and space hotels, lunar hotels, and manned mars mission with
the larger launchers.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Global wireless hotspot
    ... A manned expedition to Mars ... Terrestrial solar power is a way to harvest at low cost off-world ... envision a Delta Class 7 element launcher, ... believe this is sounder than a reusable vehicle. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Mining the Moons of Mars
    ... While it is true you may use aerobraking to enter orbit around Mars ... produces a propellant fraction of 71.9%. ... capable of generating 8.5 km/sec to 9.5 km/sec exhaust speeds. ... about half the capacity of a super-heavy lift launcher massing 5,000 ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Mining the Moons of Mars
    ... Should anyone want to go there in preferance to Mars there should be ... each ton of hydrogen is converted into 12 tons of propellant by ... fraction - this leaves 11.0% payload fraction. ... such a launcher would easily support the ...
    (sci.space.policy)