Living quarters for the construction crew.

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "Combs, Mike"
>
> The two activities may not be directly comparable. Plus, anybody
from
> the Mars Society would argue vigorously that Spirit and Opportunity
are
> not doing as good a job exploring Mars as would two people in their
> place.
>

I agree that two ppl would be better explorers there, but its a
safety issue.

>
> Actually, we can't due to the signal-lag problem. We can probably
> teleoperate as far out as the moon, but not even as far out as a
NEA.
>
thats why you bring the nea into earth orbit.

> OK. Mining is exceedingly dangerous work. We've just recently had
yet
> another mining accident. There should be a strong inducement to
replace
> human miners with robots. Can you name any mining operations in
which
> as much as half of the staff is robotic?

humans dont cost a fraction of the cost of robots of that nature. its
human nature for buisnesses to be a bit slow to change. its also a
human nature for the miners to not want to be replaced by robots.
>
> I'd say the same thing to this that I say to people who think we can
> start developing space tomorrow using carbon nanotube space
elevators or
> replicating systems: the time to start getting excited about the
space
> application of these technologies is after we already see them
around us
> here on Earth. We will see carbon nanotubes on suspension bridges,
> replicators in the Sahara, and completely automated coal mines years
> before we see any of these technologies transferred to space.
>
the first two i agree. why? because it would not risk anyone job
using carbon nanotubes instead of steel in suspension bridges. same
with replicators in sahara. on the other hand, the technology to
replace miners with robots has been around for at least a decade, but
the miners dont want to be replaced and the cost is considerably more
than the miners salery, and training. manufatures of all kinds have
been going through the same problem putting robotic equipment in
place of paid workers. in space, there are no miners to replace. they
will go with robotics long before mining underground does.