[ExI] Fusion Rocket

Adrian Tymes atymes at gmail.com
Sun Nov 7 20:29:06 UTC 2010


2010/11/6 Stefano Vaj <stefano.vaj at gmail.com>

> 2010/11/6 Adrian Tymes <atymes at gmail.com>
>
> There's a fundamental problem with that type of thing.  Anything where you
>> aren't
>> planning on returning to Earth, but where your trip does have adverse
>> consequences
>> for those who remain (like radioactive exhaust during launch), doesn't
>> shield you
>> from people who can predict these consequences and prevent you from
>> launching
>> even once.
>>
>
> Misunderstanding.
>
> Let us imagine that you make use of a Project Orion spaceship to take out
> of the earth gravity well a space solar power plant which "breaks even" and
> is then capable of supplying the energy required for its maintenance and
> growth. Or a mirror aimed at limiting a (hypotethically real, I am not
> discussing the issue here) runaway global warming by deflecting some of sun
> irradiation. Or the necessary to create a permanent base where building
> stuff and fuel is much cheaper.
>
> You need not imagine that you would go on launcing Project Orion ships
> every week for all eternity. They might well simply be a reasonable
> exception option in terms of risk-performance to break a few vicious
> circles.
>

Ah.  Yes, that is less of a problem, but still a problem.

Fundamentally: if it's allowed once, for anyone, it'll be allowed indefinite
times.
There is ample reason to believe that there won't be any worldwide limits on
the
number of launches.  (For one, if only 5 launches per year would be safe,
who
decides who will get to do those 5 - and what happens when someone launches
a sixth?)

People may oppose it on those grounds - but that may be surmountable,
especially
if no one else will have the ability to do this before you plan to have no
further need
of it.
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