Posted on 02/23/2018 6:27:05 AM PST by RoosterRedux
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC on Thursday the future of commercial space projects depends on colonizing the moon.
"I think a lot depends upon how successful we are in turning the moon into a kind of gas station for outer space," Ross told "Squawk Box." "The plan is to break down the ice [there] into hydrogen and oxygen, use those as the fuel propellant."
Rockets would not need as much thrust leaving Earth if they only had to get to the moon, he said. "Then at the moon, you have very low gravity so you don't need so much thrust to go from the moon to Mars, for example, or another asteroid."
Ross, a former private-equity investor with more than 55 years experience, has emerged as the point man for promoting commercial space projects. President Donald Trump has previously emphasized federal efforts to spur private space projects.
The Trump administration is also pushing to get Americans back to the moon. Additionally, the administration announced plans earlier this month to have private entities take over operations in low Earth orbit from the International Space Station.
On Thursday, Ross said the Trump administration would try to deregulate space quickly, adding "the pace of regulatory change has to match the pace of technological change."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
aft
It’s be a pretty efficient and VERY eco friendly solar re-charging station, wouldn’t’cha’ think ?
Ya still need to use the premium hydrogen & oxygen if you want to avoid engine knock!
I don’t think i have a large enough gas tank in my car to even make it to the moon
I don’t think i have a large enough gas tank in my car to even make it to the moon. I’d hate to run out of gas half way there......
Cost/Benefit fail!
45 years in aerospace working manned and unmanned systems.
I have always liked Wilbur Ross from the first time I ever heard him speak. They deliberately set out to make him sound like a senile crank in this.
Finally, this publicly raises a question I have theorized about for years - what will environmentalists assert as rights with respect to other planets? I would not doubt an attempt to impose some sort of environmental impact assessment on the moon, or on other planets, equally inert. As far as we know - planets and asteroids, with the exception of the earth - are basically large repositories of elements. Why wouldn’t it be right to exploit them for the intrinsic mineral value? Environmentalists here, who properly argue for the protection of an environment that fosters and sustains life, are no doubt going to attempt to apply the same regulatory apparatus to places that do not sustain life. I look forward to the impending train wreck. And if the environmentalists succeed in slowing U.S. access to mineral wealth in space, we can sit back and watch the Chinese do it.
Don't touch the moon. I need it for loving.
Don't touch the stars. I need them, too.
All you frantic scientists,
Find something else to do.
Wilbur is a beast. He was great at Davos, well worth watching.
I’m guessing this isn’t something nations with $20 trillion in debt, and only going up, actually do.
I want to turn lead into gold.
This will be funded the same way the infrastructure plan will be funded. Public/private partnerships.
Ah, Socialism. Ok.
Good comments. The left will be opposed to this type of thing once they realize that there's only one reason to go to other planets, and that is to exploit the resources that are there.
In cosmic terms, there is do distance between the earth and it’s moon.
I had seen a video of him once before he was nominated by Trump, and when I heard his name, I thought “Wow! Great choice!”
Seems like reasoned, measured, man. Just the kind of person I want in government.
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