RE: starship-design: Why?

[TLG.van.der.Linden@tip.nl (Timothy van der Linden)]

>On Monday, December 08, 1997 3:49 AM, Timothy van der Linden 
>[SMTP:TLG.van.der.Linden@tip.nl] wrote:
>
>> Curiosity.
>
>Kelly, wanted a reason why we would send repeat missions. I was simply 
>pointing out that if there was ANY reason to go in the first place, it 
>would certainly be enough reason to go again and again...

Yes, unless what we discovered at the target failed our expectations badly.

>I don't deny that it is possible we will go out of simple curiosity. I just 
>look at the cost and time involved and come up with the conclusion that the 
>ONLY reason we will go is curiosity. What I was alluding to is that there 
>is no sound economic basis for such a mission so profit as a motive is out. 
>It is to expensive for simple wanderlust (so much for Eric the Red), and I 
>find it implausible that ANY politician would seriously believe that the 
>days of empires and colonies aren't over.
>
>All in all, its a tough sell for anything other than "because its there".

I fully agree with that. Although I'd like to be a visionary as Kyle writes,
the fact is that we have a long way to go if we have to use current day
technology.

Timothy