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"Combs, Mike" wrote:
>
> The problem with any mass driver set up on the surface of a planet with
> an atmosphere is that the payloads are like meteors in reverse (worse,
> actually). On the other hand, the thickest part of the Martian
> atmosphere is only about 1% as thick as what we're breathing right now.
> And there are these enormous volcanoes not too terribly far from the
> equator...
>

Mass drivers are definitely not something you want in your atmosphere. The
Martian atmosphere even at 10 millibars or so, is most likely way too thick
to launch through.

> I'd go as far as saying a ground-based mass-driver launcher for Mars is
> probably an easier proposition than same for Earth. But I'm still not
> sure that would tip the balance away from NEOs toward Mars. The best
> solution to pulling resources out of gravity wells is to pick extremely
> shallow ones. The kind of thinking that persists in basing operations
> on Mars tends to proceed from the assumption that human beings can only
> be properly sustained on a planetary surface, but I don't agree with
> that assumption.
>

A thought, from a neutral thinker (?) on these subjects: Since they're now
pretty certain that there is copious water below the Mars surface, which
can be electrolized into rocket fuel, does not having to carry return fuel
to the Mars surface help the equation any?

Steve