Zubrin citisism

> From: giorgio gaviraghi
> speaking of necessary steps I am referring to the new
> Nasa moon plans and Zubrin Mars Direct concept, not
> terraforming or anything similar since the above
> steps are possible with existing technology.

Odd. People talk about Zubrin and 'his' idea to use resources in space to
reduce launch costs - but O'Neil came up with that idea back in the 70s, as
did many people before him.

> Mars terraforming is centuries away if ever, and will
> certainly not be a necessary step for space
> settlements, for such event we will need anyway such
> technologies as an affordable space transportaion
> system, a space infrstructural system, asteroid
> deflection system , moecular assembler from local raw
> materials and many others, still far away in the
> future.

Why do you lump an affordable space launch system, an astroid deflection
system - both of which are feasable with modern technology - with molecular
level assmblers which is not?

> If is taking over 10 years to build a station for six
> people at 300kms from Earth, to asssemble an island
> along O'Neill ideas we will need centuries at current
> rate of space technology progress.

You are confusing 'technology' with 'politics'.

> In any event Zubrin is doing a very fine job in
> promoting and keeping alive the concept of Mars manned
> missions, what we are lacking is a similar exposure
> for the space settlement concept.

Manned missions to Mars have always been practical. He just came up with a
particularly easy way to do it. Since then though he's rode rough shod over
almost all over considerations.His vision of Mars first Mars second Mars
third... and everythinhg else a distant hundredth place is not what I'd call
a good thing for space exploration, technology, or colonisation.

John