Asteroid use

From: Al Globus [mailto:aglobus@...]

Recent advances in superconducting materials may make active shielding
significantly more attractive than at the time (1970's) the Ames studies
were conducted. I haven't looked into this closely, but I do know that
there are some projects in development to use magnetic fields working with
the solar wind for propulsion. Shielding should be easier than
propulsion since you don't need as much control.

Yes, I know that Geoffery Landis feels it's time to give active shielding a
second look. Still, I feel that one advantage of passive shielding is that
one can't have a systems or power failure in a slag wall. But I must admit
that for an engine-equipped habitat which is intended to go places, reducing
the habitat mass by around 80-90% would be a significant advantage.

Regards,

Mike Combs

From:
Al Globus [mailto:aglobus@...]
Recent advances in superconducting materials may make active shielding significantly more attractive than at the time (1970's) the Ames studies were conducted. I haven't looked into this closely, but I do know that there are some projects in development to use magnetic fields working with the solar wind for propulsion. Shielding should be easier than

propulsion since you don't need as much control.

Yes, I know that Geoffery Landis feels it's time to give active shielding a second look. Still, I feel that one advantage of passive shielding is

that

one can't have a systems or power failure in a slag wall. But I must admit that for an engine-equipped habitat which is intended to go places, reducing the habitat mass by around 80-90% would be a significant advantage.

Regards,
Mike Combs