Asteroid use

--- bill t wrote:
>
>Bill: You seem to have hidden assumptions in your
ideas.
>
> Do you think the industrial complexes needed to mine
> and fabricate
> stuff on the moon and mars are waiting there?
>
> Reality: Everything needed on the moon, mars or in
> space will
> initially have to be brought with the colonist.
>
> Ask yourself, what do you as an individual need to
> survive on the
> moon?
MW: First of all, most people who will be operating
machines on the moon will probably we operating them
by remote control on the surface of the Earth. The
time delay is only a few seconds. Satellite
manufacturing and launching from the moon will
probably not start until the 2020's, IMO. Lunar
tourisms by the wealthy and loto winners will probably
also start around this time, IMO.

Bill: What infrastructure must be in place to
> provide those goods and
> services? You will find all three are very similar.
> That minimum must
> be built and launched from earth. Once in low earth
> orbit, it is 300
> 000 km to the moon, 200 million km to mars, and 50
> 000 - 50 million km
> for asteroids.
>

> For time schedules, 1 week -1 month for the moon, 2
> week wait time for
> launch. two years to get to mars, 2 year wait times
> for launch. 1 week
> - 2 years for asteroids, 1 month-5 year wait time.
>
> Bill
>
MW: Large Drexler type light sails can get you to
Mars in several weeks-- not several months or years.
And such gigantic light sails would weigh less than
100 tonnes. Asteroids, of course, in my scenario would
be captured by robotic light sails and transported to
Mars orbit.

Marcel F. Williams
1/5/01