Posted on 03/25/2011 12:01:39 PM PDT by LibWhacker
Read that again, carefully....
To refuel and resupply the cyclers, you would need to inject your shuttle craft into an interplanetary trajectory.
Doesn't sound "very efficient" to me.
Ok...Got any better ideas?
No need: we're talking about this idea.
A little thought shows that this superficially "good" idea isn't really all that good after all. In fact, it would probably take more effort than it saves.
Once again these “scientists’” (ok, Software engineers - even farther from reality) liberal agenda blinds them from the obvious solution of using nuclear power to provide the vast amounts of energy for such a interplanetary trip. Their fear of proposing nuclear power, necessitates the use of underpowered and unproven propulsion technology, which forces a much longer interplanetary transit period, exposing the crew to much more space induced radiation than a nuclear power plant/engine would expose the crew to.
I do like the idea of using water/ice as radiation and impact shielding, but it does have it’s limits and likely would require additional radiation and impact shielding materials to optimally shield the craft and crew.
I do wish we were actually building and flying prototype hardware, rather than doing endless studies that often lead no where. It’s hard to imagine how the pace of aerospace development has slowed down in the last 15 years compared to any comparative 15 year period in the previous 100 years of aerospace development. Even with some notable exceptions, we are just not pushing the boundaries of what is possible like we used to. That is having profound consequences domestically an internationally, none of which is good.
Frankly the professional aerospace engineering associations like AIAA, SAE, Space Foundation, etc. should be shamed for not ringing the alarm bell loudly and doing what is necessary to push the industry, like they used to do. Unfortunately they have been too focused on lobbying for government funded projects, rather than encouraging a healthy commercial sector not dependent on the government. They willingly sat by and watched their membership’s careers dry up and disappear in vain hopes that a resurgencey of big government aerospace projects would reappear and save them.
A new “Golden age” of aerospace can and must happen, but it won’t be driven by the government (and that is a very good thing.)
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