Funding and cooperation

>
> First, we must look at areas where all space groups can benefit.
>

1 Reduced Launch Costs
2 Increased Solar Cell Efficiency
3 Improved Mass Driver/Railgun Technology
4 Improved Energy Transmission/Conversion/Storage technology
5 Improved Device Energy Usage Efficiency
6 Teleoperation
7 Improved Materials properties
8 Space based mining and manufacturing

I'm not sure everybody would agree on that list - from my perspective
the important ones are 1, 4, and 8; the others might be useful but
either are already "good enough" or can't be expected to improve very
much more. #4 might be one of the keys to bringing in non-space groups
though (auto-makers are involved in fuel cell and flywheel energy
storage projects these days, for example).

> If you think this would be a good idea, I'll set up a mailing list on a
> friends server, and we can begin posting potential groups to invite.

I do think it's a good idea though. The National Space Society has made
some statements along these lines already. How do you actually get these
groups to work together though? Anyway, let's set up the list and see
what we can do!

Arthur Smith (apsmith@...