Asteroid use

--- "Clements, Robert"
> Right problem; wrong solution - choosing resonant
> Earthgrazers & automated
> systems (with human operators optional) does away
> with the bulk of the
> transport problems & sending your processed material
> via the Moon - assuming
> that's actually intended for Earth use; which may
> not be the case - does
> away with OOPS problem. Putting masses in Mars orbit
> also runs foul of the
> great push for Mars exploration on the basis that it
> may contain life -
> trust me: the heat generated by dropping large lumps
> on the Red Planet will
> be every bit as investment breaking as a similar
> proposal in Earth orbit.
> Blame Zubrin, McKay & Goldin if you like; but the
> damage has already been
> done.

MW: I'm against spending any tax payer money to send
humans to Mars just to look for life. Mars has the
chemicals that the Moon needs for satellite
manufacturing and launching. And once we have a
permanent industrial presence on the Moon and Mars
then the asteroids will be easy pickin's and the human
economy will grow from a multi-trillion dollar one to
a multi-quadrillion dollar economy. And a
multi-quadrillion dollar economy will easily be able
to afford to build islands in space.

Marcel F. Williams
1/4/01