starship-design: Space colonies.

[Ben Franchuk <bfranchuk@jetnet.ab.ca>]

Xenon Kelp wrote:

> Things run much faster nowadays...
> For space colonies, it will however depend critically
> on the technology advances, so it is hard to predict.
> However, let me play a seer for a while:
> with nanotechnology - some 50+ years,
> without - 150-200. OK?
> It may be still too conservative, I think -
> for North America it was about 200+ years only...

With more advances in technology harder it will be to be self sustaining.
This is because the base level to create the technology needs to be bigger
for each new level. Look at computers and how they boot up. CP/M took a floppy
disk. DOS takes small HD. Windows a BIG HD.Like goldielocks and the 3 bears
one need to find the "just right" technology.

Nanotech is not needed I think for space. New ideas yes, and some new
technology yes. The Apollo project was done with 50's technology.
The shuttle with the 60's, and the new projects of today with the 70's.
Had the Apollo project been colonize space we would be their 20 years ago.
It has taken 30 years for the governments to accept "space travel", yet it
is still restricted for a few.I think if people wanted one could have the
basic design for independent space colony with the first colony in space.

But it will mean hardships too. No TV dinners,Only a few colors of Hair
coloring,
Simpler technology.
 
Ben.
-- 
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"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Einstein
"We do not inherit our time on this planet from our parents...
 We borrow it from our children."
"Autodynamics - Physics for the next millennium." www.autodynamics.org