[ExI] Hawking urges Moon landing to 'elevate humanity'

[Adrian Tymes]

On Sat, Jun 24, 2017 at 6:12 AM, BillK <pharos at gmail.com> wrote:
> I see a few problems with the proposal to fling an asteroid in the
> direction of Earth. :)
>
> You have to be able to stop it when it gets near Earth. A fast trip
> aiming to go into orbit would probably not be greeted with much
> enthusiasm, as a slight miscalculation could be quite messy. A slow
> trip would take many years and circumstances would have changed by the
> time it arrives.

Even a slow trip will have political problems.  Ironically, they are
likely to be greater with a slow trip: more time for people to whip up
hysteria) than with a fast one.

But yes, moving it to the Earth-Moon system includes stopping it
relative to the Earth-Moon system.  Depending on the asteroid, using
("wasting", except not really because it is part of how the rest gets
mined) part of it for delta-v may be involved.  The exact
characteristics of the engine will depend on the asteroid.

Maybe aim for the Moon for most of the trip, then divert to GEO toward
the end (which also means control will have been amply demonstrated by
then).  Of course, if this option is taken, make the plan for this
adjustment clear from the start.  (This sets up anyone who tries to
blind panic "THEY'RE GOING TO AIM IT AT THE EARTH" to be corrected on
the facts.  "No, first we send it to the Moon.  Then, once it's a
small hop to Earth orbit, we aim it at Earth orbit, on a course where
it will pass out of orbit and into space if we mess up.  At no point
is it aimed at the Earth.  Please stop murdering puppies.  You say you
aren't murdering puppies?  We'll stop making up false allegations when
you do; you first.")

> The theory sounds good, but the practice requires a bit more space
> technology than we have at present.

I should perhaps disclaim more often when technological development is
part and parcel of my plans.  I mean, tech is being developed all the
time for anything of significance anyway.

That said, acceleration of space tech development (by making launching
easier, and thus making testing tech in space easier) is another
reason I'm doing CubeCab now.