RE: RE: starship-design: YES, we might do it.

["Walker, Chris" <Chris.Walker@BSKYB.COM>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Zenon Kulpa [SMTP:zkulpa@zmit1.ippt.gov.pl]
> Sent:	Tuesday, October 13, 1998 5:59 PM
> To:	starship-design@lists.uoregon.edu
> Cc:	zkulpa@zmit1.ippt.gov.pl
> Subject:	RE: RE: starship-design: YES, we might do it.
> 
>And there is a big bootstrap problem:
>space mining is impractical without developed human 
>space infrastructure, and building such infrastructure 
>is impossible without space mining...
>
>-- Zenon

I see the point you're getting at, but surely the word "impossible" is
overstating it? It would just be "very, very expensive" to launch that much
raw material (for the space infrastructure) - in today's terms at least.
Maybe in the future someone (private companies?) will be willing to meet
those costs if they determine that the returns would outweigh the initial
outlay. If a small mining facility can be set-up, it would provide a
starting point for the infrastructure to then grow from space mining. Maybe
very slowly at first, but as more raw materials were mined, further
facilities could be built, etc (ie. exponential-type growth of
infrastructure).

Of course, I appreciate that it does all depend on a party being willing and
able to:
(a) spend large amounts of money on getting that first facility constructed
(b) waiting long enough for positive cash returns

which has been mentioned before on this list.

Chris Walker