Re: Re: Re: RE: starship-design: Interstellar mission within fifty years

[KellySt@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/19/98 8:28:27 AM, zkulpa@zmit1.ippt.gov.pl wrote:

>> From: KellySt@aol.com
>> 
>>===
>> >> Big disagree. In space building a O'Niel is probably easier then landing
>> >> and building the infastructure for a similar sized city. In space your 
>> >> not cut off from resources and free power, and transport and lift 
>> >> costs are about nil.
>> >> 
>> >Only if you assume that all resources should be transported 
>> >to the planet base from space/asteroid mines. However, a planet 
>> >suitable for settling by definition should have the necessary 
>> >resources on the surface - including such hard-to-find in space 
>> >resources like gravity, atmosphere (providing additionally 
>> >radiation shielding), running (or subsurface) water,  
>> >appropriate temperature, base-building materials...
>> 
>> Materials are harder to get on a planet then in space 
>> (water, ore, air subcomponents) 
>>
>Possibly harder to find, but easier to exploit.

How?  The ore is higher grade in space.  Near nil transport and thermal power
costs.  No need to break open a montain to get to it.  Little problem in
forging and welding it together.


>> spining for grav isn't hard.  
>>
>Still not yet tested practically .



>> Probably no real chance of
>> finding a planet with 1 g, 
>>
>Say, 0.6 to 1.5 g will be equally good.

We have no way of knowing, but data suggests not.


>> right temp range, and non toxic but breathable air anyway.
>> 
>I am not asking for as much as air being breathable.
>Having a decent atmosfere has other advantages than breathing it:
>solar & cosmic radiation protection, no need for pressure suits
>(oxygen masks suffice - provided it is not toxic through
>skin contact: HCN or CS2 or the like are certainly rather bad,
>but methane, CO2, nitrogen, even little ammonia are bearable),
>lower temperature variation. 

Ah ha.  Your taking an encampment on a frozen methan or amonia world with
possible toxic life and high expense, and unknown rad level, instead of a
O'Neil?!

>
>-- Zenon

Kelly