Re: starship-design: Raw Facts.

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

KellySt@aol.com wrote:
> 
 
> Actually, transport cost in space can be really dirt cheap.  Free power, no
> need to shove cargo at high G.  Getting into space can be a real bear!
> Landing heavy tonnage cheaply is the big issue.  I've ran some numbers on it,
> and given an electric steam boosted lander, with extremely minimal servicing
> needs (big, dumb, tough, flying wing) could profitably land crude oil.
>

But unless you come up with a better ISP on your boosters from earth
you will never get your lander up into space. And environmental people would
have your hide if your super-tanker crashed.


> 
> Well, its not that hard to get to space.  No more so then Australia for
> example.  The big question is why would folks move there rather then many
> other easier to settle areas of earth.  As to the fragile environment.
> Perhaps if we get good at building completely independent ecospheres, this
> one won't seem as critical to us?   ;)
> 
> Kelly

I think the $200,000 a lb is the factor.

-- 
"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