starship-design: Inter-planetary craft

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

KellySt@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 4/17/00 9:49:52 PM, bfranchuk@jetnet.ab.ca writes:
 
> Best price?  In theory, it should (with a similar sized market) converge to
> the price of trans pacific air freight.  About $5 a pound.  This is because
> the general complexity and power levels are similar.
  
Can we safely say $150 kg for near term launch costs @ 1 ton payloads?
I would like to design for interplantary craft. Until one has a design
for
that constructed and working one can't even guess on inter-stelar craft
of
any type.

> 
> I worked out some absolute minimam costs assuming beamed powe steam rockets
> of under a $1 a pound in bulk.  (I think it was about that.)
> 
> Obviously we won't bother with a starship or anything untill were doing a LOT
> of surface to LEO flights.
>
  Beamed energy is still energy hungery. If I remember right it is
25 watts per ISP unit. Focus and heat is the limiting factors. Where
does the energy come from? Solar, fusion, fisson power sources?
 

> At a minimum.  When the Air Force was looking in to it, their shuttle
> replacement could relaunch withing 24 hours with a complete grond crew of
> under 100, and no mission control.
>
  Funny a small plane can fly again with just a fill up with fuel.
Why need space be different?

> Or the big resort complexes or liners.  Given the highly educated techs these
> systems usually use, your not likely to get away with rough consructin camp
> type facilities.

I want to build a small complex  with say 75 people in a habitat, not
the empire state building.(25 rooms).

-- 
"We do not inherit our time on this planet from our parents...
 We borrow it from our children."
The Lagging edge of technology:
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