money is in short supply Forum: Spacesettlers
Thread: money is in short supply
# 11961 byhappygallimore@... on March 3, 2011, 1:57 p.m.
Member since 2021-10-03
From: Al Globus alglobus@...
>forasteroidmining:
> 1. Launch a rocket derived from shuttle external tank.
>
"Why do you think this is the best way to go?"
Best? Just conventional, meaningusing mostly proven technology. The design
challenges for the launchwould bewithin near term capability. It couldlaunch
a significant at once. If the first stage were sent to the destination, the
fuel tanks could be used to for storage.
Could have mentioned the Energia as an example, but just went with more recent
heavy lift concept.
Someone pointed out the existing tool- Ariane 5 - would have much lower load
than my reference to an unbuilt one.
It seems that when talking about space settlement, we discuss projects that
require multiple technological developments which add layers of complexity to
projects. Sending a payload to an asteroid using a standard technology would
allow the missionto give greaterfocus on asteroid specific technologies. We
all know there is a lot of work to dodevelopingthem.