Some Questions

I'm sure that others will fill in more of the criticisms, but some
are:
1970s technology.
Crew doesn't sit on top of the stack (easy escape.)
Military wanted cross-range but not need now.
Extensive maintenance required.
Very expensive/lb of payload.

What do you mean by stack?
What does the term cross range mean?
Why is the maintenance expensive?
What makes payloads expensive to launch besides the maintenance?
Can any of these problems be fixed be a redesign or is the shuttle hopeless? Unless someone know a lot of minutia about the shuttle I would go
with what is generally known. The external tank contains LO2 and
LH2. Maybe there are trace contaminants but then you could just
shine a mirror into the cut-open tank and burn out any such residue.
Ok, thanks. I sent away to NASA asking them for info on the shuttle.
I will see what they give me.
The contractor couldn't make any money off of it. Private enterprise
can afford anything if it can make money off of it. How would you
make money with a DC-X?

Well, if it is cheaper to use then a shuttle the government saves money.
I read the projected costs to launch a man into space via the DC-X was equivalent to
a round the world ticket of the QEII. That opens the door for space tourism.
I think a lot of people would pay to just ride into orbit. Also, the existance
of such a vehicle would encourage the development of space hotels.
Even if it was dangerous to go I think a lot of people would still pay to go if they
could afford it. Perhaps the contractor had a lack of vision
>
> 4. How much does a shuttle cost to build?
About $2 billion each.

That is much more than I thought. What makes it so pricey?
Does it use a lot of non standard custom made parts? I would assume they would have made
dies and things to make all the parts so there should be standard shuttle parts by now.
I don't know.

>
> 5. It seems all the various space colonization advocacy groups
> concentrate on the
> United States as the country to be the ones to colonize space yet
many
> other wealthy and industrialized countries exist. Why don't they
> concentrate on the others like Germany,
> Japan, or China? Why not all of them? I wonder if the USA has
lost its
> spirit.
Perhaps most of the correspondents are Amrericans. Perhaps because
America has the highest GDP/cap. Perhaps because of the friendly
environment for entrepreneurs. Perhaps because the Fed. Gov. is
making some attempt at permitting private enterprise in space.

I wasn't talking about this group but all groups in general.
Though the US has the highest GDP if they don't want to do it maybe a poorer
nation might be interested if they thought they were spending the money wisely.
I think weither or not a country would be friendly to an entrepreneur
depends on how his business would effect the country in question.
To be sure some countries have less restrictions on business then others
but lack of restrictions is not always a good thing. This is another arguement though
and one I don't wish to get into. In the case of the space colony business a government
might be very interested if someone sold it to them properly. What is the government
attempting to do to help private space enterprise? I heard the opposite.
I remember NASA getting very angry when that guy, I forgot his name, paid the Russians to
go into space. It wasn't like he was some backwoods yokel. How is shutting out
tourists pro business?

> If you read history you notice nations go through a vigorous
period of
> growth followed
> by a decadent decline and at some point they either collapse or are
> reborn again.
> I wonder if the USA is going into a decline cycle. Perhaps one of
the
> younger countries
> or ones coming out of their decline cycle might take the challenge?
AN interesting question but no one in this group has the answer.
We're just abunch of blowhards :) LOL What do you mean?
Why don't you make a case for your position and tell us what you
think and why.

My only thought why we might be in a decline is that the US doesn't
seem to be in a hero mode. Back in the 60s there was a feeling great things were
afoot and to a lesser extent in the 70s. I don't get that feeling from the zietgist
of 2000s USA. We don't seem to be growing, either socialy or economically.
Our industies are hollowing out and unemployment is rising. Lack of certain regulations
allow businesses to do unethical things or things distructive to the health of
communities such as close all the factories in a city that depends on those factories to
survive, not because you are losing money but because you can make more money in
a country where you don't need to pay anyone above base subsistance.
Unemployed people don't buy things or pay taxes. Low paid people don't buy things.
Well paid people buy things and pay taxes. I am getting away from my topic again.
I just think that an energetic, growing country has a "nothing is impossible"
attitude and tend to be full of risk takers. I don't really see that lately
in the majority of Americans. It is Sad. There are not many do-it-yourselfers
either. How many people build their own computers or wire the lights in their house?
My dad speaks of his days in the 50s when men and women had to be more self relient.
Peeple would fix their own cars. Who even tries to learn how anymore?
To be sure there are many people who do but not a large percent of the population.
The pioneers of old had to build their own houses. People had a lets do it ourselves
attitude which is missing from a lot of people now I know there are things requiring
specailized skills and schooling but a lot of things don't like putting together a PC
or installing light switches or wiring your house for cable. It bugs me sometimes.
That is why I think we are in a decline.
The secret cabal within the group knows the answer to all of your
questions but if any of them told you, then we'd have to insure your
silence. However, if you find the answers on your own, the secret
cabal, by order of the grand poobah, must admit you to the inner
sanctum. LOL
Start searching for the answers.

I was asking a serious question! I wasn't thinking of X-file cabals.
Jeez!!!!
>
> 8. Do people like Freeman Dyson and other "movers and shakers"
read
> this list
> or is it just regular guys like me? Does anything any of us say
here on
> this list
> have any effect or ar we wasting out time talking?

The movers and shakers are on the board and act as advisors to the
SSI but I doubt they read this list.
If you read the list for a while you see that there are indeed
people who are trying to accomplish things. I know that one fellow
is very involved in advocating the SPS concept to the public and
more importantly to the politicians. Another is trying to get a
research institute off of the ground. Another has some rocketry
projects underway. Another is a scientist studying issues of
importance to us.
However the rest of us are doing this primarily as a hobby.

Ok, Thats reasonable. Although I am not sure having it as only a hobby
will do it but then again you never know. At least you get to exchange ideas and make
friends. I haven't been on the list long enough to know anyone yet or what
they might be doing.
There are a lot of people who subscribe to this list but probably
only 5-10% actually post material.
Well, unless you have something to say other then flames or non constructive
criticism like "thats stupid!" you shouldn't post anything. I am on lists where I never
post because I have nothing useful to say. Why don't you tell us more about yourself rather than asking 250+
people what they do? I ment to ask what the list people are doing to help forward the interests of space
coloniation. I am writing articles for webzines and hope to submit them to local newspapers and magazines and maybe a national magazine or two. I suppose it depends on
how well I write or weither or not an editor likes it. I wasn't asking any personal
questions like "what's your job?" since that is rude from a stranger.
BTW, can you widen the margins on your e-mail client. All the line
truncation is very hard to read.
Well, My computer is set for 800x600 mode. Any higher and I would have trouble reading it. Why are you having trouble reading it? Sorry.
Perhaps I shouldn't put in carrage returns and just let line wraparound deal with it?
Darkstar