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To: tjg
How will cheap space travel inevitably follow nanotechnology?

Lots of ways. All the components of rockets will be about 95% lighter because they are made of diamonoid materials that are self healing and grow from seeds. We will be able to grow the cables necessary for "beanstalk" type surface to geostationary orbit elevators. Energy will be on the order of .01 cent per kilowatt, because we will be able to pave the roads with solar collectors and use molecular distortion batteries or even plain old hydrogen to store the energy. Use solar powered lasers to provide the energy to focus on reflective rocket nozzles to push rockets into orbit with minimal reactive mass. Use linear electric accelerators to throw fuel , food and water, and construction materials into orbit, leaving the relatively slow and expensive systems to transport people.

These are just a few ideas off the top of my head. I am sure that when the time comes, more sophisticated methods will surface, but all of the above become cheap with full blown nanotechnology.

119 posted on 03/09/2004 5:06:13 PM PST by marktwain
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To: marktwain
Thanks for your reply. I remember now reading about the tethered "space ladder" and some of the other things you mentioned.

Hope we live long enough to see it.
120 posted on 03/10/2004 9:27:28 AM PST by tjg
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