[ExI] fossil fuels and nukes (was: Re: what did we learn?)

[Adrian Tymes]

On Tue, Nov 3, 2020 at 2:38 PM spike jones via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

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> *From:* extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> *On Behalf
> Of *Adrian Tymes via extropy-chat
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> Ben it’s all about launch costs.  If we can solve that with a vehicle that doesn’t throw away hardware (all recoverable) then we are good.  But that engineering problem has proven remarkably difficult.  I am thinking in the short term.  next 30-50 years.  It’s nukes and coal for baseload until we can get space-based solar going, if we ever do.
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> >…What about lunar-built-and-launched solar power?  Or putting solar
> panels on eternally-sunlit parts of the Moon (after having built them on
> the Moon, to reduce transport costs) and beaming from there?
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> I hope it works.  I am encouraged at the recent findings about water on
> the moon.  That will be our fuel source if we ever manage to build all the
> stuff we need on the moon.  Adrian I have a hard time seeing this stuff
> coming in the near term, unless we manage to create a replicating assembler.
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Lunar construction does not require nanotechnology.  It does require minor
advances in robotic/teleoperated prospecting, refining, smelting, and
manufacturing...and it requires funding to get the robots built, placed up
there, and working.  This is happening, albeit slowly.
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