Why can't we leave well enough alone...
By
Blue Rabbit,
Posted on: 2012-04-22 24:18 in Comic and Hero-Villain Culture
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Tenzhi
But if it's infected with space herpes we're all doomed.
|
Don't tell Princess Karina about the Space Herpes!
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by DreamWeaver
Oookay. NOW I get why they want to do this.
The target asteroid they want to tow back - which is only about 2km wide - is 3554 Amun. Which is made up of the usual silicates, interesting ores, and odd bits of space ice... Oh yeah, and a few thousand tonnes of native platinum, plus a bunch of tellurides, sulfides and platiniridium alloy. Yummy. I never trust stories posted to Mashable over numbers, but if it's even a tenth as rich as the estimates then there's about two trillion bucks' worth of rare metals in them thar 'roids. http://news.yahoo.com/20-trillion-ro...235028470.html |
Yeah but it'll probably cost a hundred trillion to exploit it's resources.
Quote:
Anyone else want a sword made out of platiniridium alloy? I must play too many rpgs that have some sword made by a meteorite.
|
Originally Posted by DreamWeaver
Oh yeah, and a few thousand tonnes of native platinum, plus a bunch of tellurides, sulfides and platiniridium alloy. Yummy.
[/url] |
The first step in being sane is to admit that you are insane.
Quote:
Not quite, but it's still nasty with current tech. |
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
Yeah but it'll probably cost a hundred trillion to exploit it's resources.
|
A typical Soyuz 3-man mission costs around $50m-80m, but doesn't lift enough to warrant the money for this gig.
Each shuttle flight cost around $500-700m and up. It was supposed to be cheaper than building a new rocket each time, but the sad fact - especially after the Columbia STS-107 explosion - was that a sizable chunk of that cash went on micro-checking, assessing and repairing the birds.
Virgin Galactic's take on the old "Orient Express" spaceplane plan could work out well for getting people to LEO,but high orbit and beyond's still a pain in the ***. The goal is to bring lift pricing down to $1000/kg or less, and that's going to involve some MAJOR tech. Not to mention more risk than flying a Capissen-38 with bad motivators.
Is it time for the dance of joy yet?
Quote:
Don't forget to factor in the inevitable cost overruns, and out right account dishonesty that will probably double or triple the actual cost|
Originally Posted by DreamWeaver
Not quite, but it's still nasty with current tech.
A typical Soyuz 3-man mission costs around $50m-80m, but doesn't lift enough to warrant the money for this gig. Each shuttle flight cost around $500-700m and up. It was supposed to be cheaper than building a new rocket each time, but the sad fact - especially after the Columbia STS-107 explosion - was that a sizable chunk of that cash went on micro-checking, assessing and repairing the birds. Virgin Galactic's take on the old "Orient Express" spaceplane plan could work out well for getting people to LEO,but high orbit and beyond's still a pain in the ***. The goal is to bring lift pricing down to $1000/kg or less, and that's going to involve some MAJOR tech. Not to mention more risk than flying a Capissen-38 with bad motivators. |
of the project.
Things which have sold in the past for prices like $640 toilet seats, $7,600 coffee makers, $436 hammers, $17 dollar bolts will probably get even more expensive when some genius decides to tack on the description "zero-G" and raise the price a few hundred, thousand, million dollars for items that are cheap to make.
True space exploration won't start until a space elevator is built or some new technology is developed that makes leaving Earth inexpensive. A way to shield an object from the effects of gravity would be very effective, but spacecraft using that technology would need to be launched from places like Mt. Everest or there is a good chance that the spacecraft would have a very high collision rate with the ground. After all, the Earth continues to move so having an object that does not move makes using propulsion to leave Earth's orbit obsolete. Why use rocket fuel, when it is so much easier to launch a spacecraft by doing nothing except activate some sort of energy field.
The first step in being sane is to admit that you are insane.
Quote:
I refer you to the documentary known as Men In Black. Do you really think the government spends that much on a toilet? |
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
Don't forget to factor in the inevitable cost overruns, and out right account dishonesty that will probably double or triple the actual cost
of the project. Things which have sold in the past for prices like $640 toilet seats, $7,600 coffee makers, $436 hammers, $17 dollar bolts will probably get even more expensive when some genius decides to tack on the description "zero-G" and raise the price a few hundred, thousand, million dollars for items that are cheap to make. |
Quote:
| True space exploration won't start until a space elevator is built or some new technology is developed that makes leaving Earth inexpensive. A way to shield an object from the effects of gravity would be very effective, but spacecraft using that technology would need to be launched from places like Mt. Everest or there is a good chance that the spacecraft would have a very high collision rate with the ground. After all, the Earth continues to move so having an object that does not move makes using propulsion to leave Earth's orbit obsolete. Why use rocket fuel, when it is so much easier to launch a spacecraft by doing nothing except activate some sort of energy field. |
Quote:
Keep in mind that all of those were being sold to the government. Businesses are actually motivated to watch costs.
|
Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
Things which have sold in the past for prices like $640 toilet seats, $7,600 coffee makers, $436 hammers, $17 dollar bolts will probably get even more expensive when some genius decides to tack on the description "zero-G" and raise the price a few hundred, thousand, million dollars for items that are cheap to make.
|
Paragon City Search And Rescue
The Mentor Project
Quote:
..and can't get leaned on as much by Senators or anyone else needing kickbacks, and can't be used to hide government darkbudget stuff. |
Originally Posted by Ironblade
Keep in mind that all of those were being sold to the government. Businesses are actually motivated to watch costs.
|
Incidentally, I thought the MIBs were supposed to be self-funding these days through licencing alien technology? Not that I believe a word of it. Isn't that right, Siri?
If you say so,Emily... EMAIL START: Z@mib.mil - subject remains unaware of observation
Is it time for the dance of joy yet?
The target asteroid they want to tow back - which is only about 2km wide - is 3554 Amun. Which is made up of the usual silicates, interesting ores, and odd bits of space ice...
Oh yeah, and a few thousand tonnes of native platinum, plus a bunch of tellurides, sulfides and platiniridium alloy. Yummy.
I never trust stories posted to Mashable over numbers, but if it's even a tenth as rich as the estimates then there's about two trillion bucks' worth of rare metals in them thar 'roids.
http://news.yahoo.com/20-trillion-ro...235028470.html
That being said, I think I'm going to be on the look out for any IPOs that Planetary Resources has...