Fresh Idea to Achieve LEO

--- In spacesettlers@y..., tntucker@c... wrote:
> All,
>
> Perhaps it is time to question some basic assumptions that many
> appear to be making:
>
> 1) The world will go united into space,
>
> 2) We will use rockets powered by multi-stage boosters,
>
> IMO, the nations of the world are quite content with their
squabbles
> over nationalistic issues and could care less about space
> colonization. The cushy relationship between governments and launch
> providers is mutually profitible, and so well entrenched.
> Marshall Savage's approach, as described in the Millenium Project,
to
> start first with a sea based colony of supporters is a very wise
one
> worth pondering since it will attract the one out of 1000 who have
> sufficient vision to realize the historic importance of what is
being
> proposed.
> Building the first space colony near the equator will allow for the
> establishment of governmental, financial and technological
procedures
> that will be extended into space. Those not suited to life in a
> colony can easily return to their nation of origin.
> The colony then provides the economic profits to fund the next step
> into space, etc.
>
> 2) The primary flaw of rockets is that they accellerate fuel AND
the
> payload, which is very wasteful, energy wise.

eg: US Space Shuttle. 250000 lb orbiter, 50000lb cargo, resuable
solid rocket boosters (short distance only), 66000lb wasted external
tank (dropped at 99% orbital speed, and forcing an intricate
maneuver), and 1.6million pounds of LH2 and LOX.

Want to talk wasteful? over 100 of those external tanks have been
wasted. If NASA went for direct insertion, the tanks could be
salvaged; any one of them would be worth their mass in gold. And
they are giving it away for FREE, if you can salage it according to
their criteria.

> A much better approach
> would be to direct power from earth or space to the
vehicle/payload.
> Again, Savage's proposals to use water vapor for propellent
vaporized
> by ground based lasers after vacuum tube acceleration has merrit
IMO.
>
> Another strategy might be to use a tether to snare a high flying
> payload and them "pull" it up to space... thus avoiding the use of
> rockets all together.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tom Tucker

A light beam could push a projectile to orbital velocity, all the
fuel would stay on the ground, and it would be much more efficient,
as it would be mostly payload.

:) ed