[extropy-chat] Space elevator numbers III

[Eugen Leitl]

On Fri, Feb 16, 2007 at 12:13:40PM +0000, giorgio gaviraghi wrote:

> So what it means all the above?
> it means that we could develop the same capability , changing our startegy from the current earth-based  to a new space based approach.

> That can be done in the following phases:
> Phase 1-Rendez vous with a small ( 100 m ) water rich NEO asteroid
>  mine it and utilize its minerals to manufacture , automatically, an exostructure of adequate size

Excellent idea, but for a couple of serious issues.
The velocity delta for all the known planetoids is high.
Microgravity work is different from gravity work.
The distance is too long for teleoperation by closed
loop motorics (already with the Moon one has to train
operators for the delay, and augment them with system-side
reflexes).

There is no reason not to use the Moon (we're not as lucky
as Mars with Phobos and Deimos), and to not send astronauts.
I can teleoperate a platform via the Internet much more
efficiently than a zero-volume-delta life support system.
Even on-site, it would be much more efficient to keep
people in the pressurized cabin while the teleoperated
robots roam the lunar landscape.

Long-term, people have to future in deep space.

-- 
Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a> http://leitl.org
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