Actually, there is basic research being done for a space elevator. A feasibility study has already been peformed, and funding has been supplied for research on the carbon nanotube ribbon proposed for it. IMO, that group may be a bit overly optimistic on their funding and timelines (15 years and $10B total if I remember correctly), but my materials science guys say they aren't too far off on their ribbon projections. Who knows.
Actually, there is basic research being done for a space elevator. A feasibility study has already been peformed, and funding has been supplied for research on the carbon nanotube ribbon proposed for it. IMO, that group may be a bit overly optimistic on their funding and timelines (15 years and $10B total if I remember correctly), but my materials science guys say they aren't too far off on their ribbon projections. Who knows.
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
- Jan 26, 2000
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Thats good to know
I knew research was happening, but often it is in small amounts over years.
Would be fun to buy a 500 buck 5 lb bicycle
glenn1
Lifer
- Sep 6, 2000
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What are you talking about? Son of SDI? What, you think SDI ever went away? I worked at the facility where they were working on a spacecraft for deployment of SDI systems 5 years ago. You know, when CLINTON was still president?
Funny that democrats claim to have hated the SDI idea, yet they never got rid of it. Hmmmm...
Jason
Zorba
Lifer
- Oct 22, 1999
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Originally posted by: WinstonSmith
Thats good to know
I knew research was happening, but often it is in small amounts over years.
Would be fun to buy a 500 buck 5 lb bicycle
One of my friends at school is doing his Ph.D research in the mass production of Carbon Nanotubes. Right now nanotubes are ungodly expensive and we cannot grow them long enough for any really useful processes. But the idea of what the nanotubes will allow us to do is amazing. (BTW: Nanotubes are ~6x the strength of steel and ~1/3 of the weight).
[Edit] Put my stuff in the wrong place
[/edit]Originally posted by: Zorba
Originally posted by: WinstonSmith
Thats good to know
I knew research was happening, but often it is in small amounts over years.
Would be fun to buy a 500 buck 5 lb bicycle
One of my friends at school is doing his Ph.D research in the mass production of Carbon Nanotubes. Right now nanotubes are ungodly expensive and we cannot grow them long enough for any really useful processes. But the idea of what the nanotubes will allow us to do is amazing. (BTW: Nanotubes are ~6x the strength of steel and ~1/3 of the weight).
[Edit] Put my stuff in the wrong place
If they can build these stupid "carbon nanotubes" why can't the build ray guns? I want a fricking ray gun. Is that too much to ask?
Jeff7
Lifer
- Jan 4, 2001
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Originally posted by: charrison
Originally posted by: Tripleshot
Anyone else notice all this feel good B...S... Shrub is "proposing" is Just before the State of The Union Address and in a re-election year he has real cause to worry about?
Possibly, but he has been giving nasa more budget money every year and i doubt anyone could effecitly argue that nasa does not need a new big project.
We've been to the moon already. It's not new, per se.
Yeah, I like all these new great ideas he's hatching now...just puuuurrre coincidence that this is election year. Democrats must be coming on strong. Good.
You know what the average person knows about economics? Money buys things, and the more money I have, no matter what it takes, the better.
That's about it.
If they hear "budget surplus" they start yelling for tax cuts. Then Bush comes in, we get tax cuts AND increased spending. A business or individual would have to streamline their operation to both decrease income and increase output. I don't see the government doing that.
Summary - I don't think that we're ever going to pay off the national debt. Or keep the budget balanced for more than a few years at best. The government needs competition - something to give them a kick, like AMD did to Intel, or the wars between ATi and nVidia. The companies have to try to keep their costs down, revenues up. The government has no such drive.
Actually it's more like an extra $200 million a year for the next ten years. The "billions" you speak of is already in NASA and will just be reallocated to exploration. And besides, it's not like the country wouldn't get anything out of this. This will create new technologies which will trickle down to the consumer and create more jobs.
- Aug 22, 2001
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Perhaps they only want a base on the moon because China will eventually attempt it? Or perhaps they saw the spy who shagged me and thought Dr. Evil's digs were happenin' Or perhaps that asteroid really will hit in 30 something years and they are preparing to leave the planet and setup shop on Mars :Q:evil: Seriously though, I don't care why they do it, it should be good for my local economy as long as KSC is involved.
Or perhaps that asteroid really will hit in 30 something years and they are preparing to leave the planet and setup shop on Mars :Q:evil: Seriously though, I don't care why they do it, it should be good for my local economy as long as KSC is involved.
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
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Why don't we make it 20 bucks over a thousand year. If we aren't going to be serious, then don't waste our time.
Oh, as I said in OT, we need a Space Elevator before we consider grandiose construction or trips in space.
I think a moon base would be very benficial. It would revolutionize technology and allow us to grow as a race.
Lets make sure NASA has turned around as an organization before we start giving them lots of money.
Once they are showing promise on delivering, upping the funding will be easy.
Lol, ever heard that old saying about things worth doing are never easy?
I'm also a big believer in the one about necessity being the mother of innovation. Having a direction and timeframe, in a venture where people's lives are at stake, are excellent motivators. This being more or less a do or die for NASA doesn't hurt either. If we set up a permanent base on the moon, it will be fairly straightforward to expand both on the moon, out to asteroids, and to Mars and the Jovian moons. Lots of science to be performed and resources to gather and expand with. Within a few decades our space programs could be nearly self-supporting. Could be interesting times. Just wish I could shake the feeling that this is a political announcement and nothing more.Originally posted by: amok
Lol, ever heard that old saying about things worth doing are never easy?
I agree, going to mars would force us to develope a new propulsion system. With plain chemical rockets, taking a man to mars is not really practical.
- Oct 30, 2000
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They have always realized that the shuttle was inefficent as a workhorse in a cost/benefit ratio.
The engineers have always realized that it took valuable $$$ away from effective research.
That is one reason that the USSR never developed a shuttle. Cost!!
- Aug 22, 2001
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Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
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I went to the White House site, and checked out this program. One of the goals is to develop something called a CEV which apparently is to go to the ISS, and more to the Moon, leaving from Earth.
It's the worst of all possible solutions. It's like they took all the bad things about the shuttle and decided to make them worse.
This makes more sense with 3 seperate craft.
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
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I may have been mistaken in what I read. I though this CEV was what is referred to as a single vessel that would go from the earth to the moon. That would be inefficient. If we were talking a modular vessel in space, then that makes sense. This diagrammed craft would not fly from here to there.
In any case, I fear this redirection of funding will come at the expense of the Space Elevator. That would be too bad.
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