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Re: starship-design: Go Starwisps



> From: KellySt@aol.com
> 
> In a message dated 6/29/97 (Zenon Kulpa) wrote:
> 
> [...]
> >Sorry, I would not risk my life with such only theoretically
> >working technology, even with Kelly giving me his word of honor
> >that it will surely work for the whole round-trip...
> 
> What choice do you have? If the robots take 16-20 years to report back 
> that they made it. By then the ship would be too dated to use.
> 
But at least we will have much more real and reliable data 
to be more sure the improvements will work too.

> Besides.  Just because they made it once.  Doesn't mean you, or they, 
> will make it the next trip.
> 
Of course you are right. But, at least for me, it would be more
convincing that only your word of honor 
(no offense intended - I presume you will give it in good faith).


> [...]
> >Personally, I consider just the colonization to be the ultimate practical
> >reason for space exploration (near-sol or interstellar).
> 
> Colonies are never made and maintained for in the interest in making
> colonies.
> 
So what?
They are made e.g. for reasons of survival...


> >Hence my scenario:
> >- robotis probes (to test adequately the technology and obtain 
> >  necessary data (necessary for further stages, 
> >  not for mere scientific curiosity) that are 
> >  hard to obtain by other means;
> >- one-way, outpost-building missions to selected targets;
> >- if the returns are convincing -- the follow-up colonization missions.
> >
> >If there will be enough people wanting to go there and back again
> >(round-trip enthusiasts), they may go too, why not, provided they find
> >the money (and technology) to build them luxury tourist liners  ;-)
> >
> >-- Zenon
> 
> Now that would be one hell of a grand tour!  ;)  
>
Boring, with all this years in black space...

> For only 500 million dollars
> you can really get away from it all!
> 
I would rather pay half that (in practice it will cost even less) 
and go one-way instead, sparing the rest of my fortune on
materials and equipment needed for building a nice little cottage
over there...

-- Zenon