Re: starship-design: Infrastructure in space [was: FTL travel...]

[KellySt@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/25/00 9:02:18 AM, zkulpa@zmit1.ippt.gov.pl writes:

>> From owner-starship-design@lists.uoregon.edu Sun Apr 23 04:00:31 2000
>> From: KellySt@aol.com
>> 
>> In a message dated 4/21/00 12:41:12 PM, zkulpa@zmit1.ippt.gov.pl writes:
>> 
>[...]
>> >Exactly. It is the biggest problem on the way to make mankind 
>> >a truly spacefaring civilization. One possibility seems to be 
>> >a happy event of some new space industry popping up - such that 
>> >it is profitable up front, as operated from Earth, but at some time
>
>> >of its development it is found to become even more profitable 
>> >when it starts using space resources - enough so to justify 
>> >the next big investment in, say, asteroid mining or something. 
>> >What kind of an industry it could be?
>> >Nobody knows as for now, I am afraid. Clarke back in the fifties
>> >thought it will be large manned geosynchronous commsats - but it 
>> >fizzled, as miniaturization, automation, and reliability of 
>> >electronics made human crews redundant. Currently many look with  
>> >hope towards space tourism - but I am not so sure here...
>> 
>> What are your concerns about space tourism?  Its currently the mostlikely
>
>> reason to develop major space launch infastructure and orbital facilities?
>> 
>My concern is that it may be not enough of a reason to start all that.
>Let us cross our fingers, though...
>
>-- Zenon Kulpa


It started the current airlines and air tourist industries.  One of the few 
industries to routinely shell out billions of dollars on projects.  But like 
you said well see.  Just nothing else screeming on the horizon.

Kelly