RichA wrote:
Why develop a technology to make fuel in space when the
whole concept of using chemical rockets to go to the planets
(with humans onboard) is terribly flawed, too expensive, too
slow, too backward?

http://www.physorg.com/news4018.html

We use chemical rockets for human spaceflight because no other viable
alternative currently exists. Ion, solar wind, space elevators, and
other methods are being investigated (ESA's SMART-1 to Luna, NASA and
the Planetary Society's work on solar sails, etc). Of the existing set
of alternatives, only ion drives are currently rated as space worthy.
AND, due to ion drive's low thrust, it is not yet practical for human
spaceflight; while a chemical rocket takes ~7-8 months to get to Mars,
an ion rocket could take YEARS - far too long to ask our brave
astronauts to wait for planet-fall!

Yes, we would like starship-like capabilities, like, yesterday!
Enterprise is not yet here, I'm afraid.

***** May you have clear skies & a star to steer by! ~M. Scott *****

=A4[MICHAEL] SCOTT FOERSTER=A4
=A4The Event^Horizon! ~ on Slooh*Radio Friday Nite 8-10pm EDT / 12-2 UT
=A4The Starry-Nite Society ~ Research Lead
=A4NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab ~ Solar System Ambassador
=A4NASA's Night Sky Network ~ Proj Mgr (Starry-Nite)
=A4Project ASTRO / Polaris ~ Mission Specialist (Starry-Nite)
=A4E-Address: Spamtrap@(insert domain below).net
=A4Domain: Starry-Nite.net
=A4N42=B031'13.3" =A4 W83=B008'43.2" =A4 668' =A4 EDT =3D -4 GMT
=A4http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/ambassador/profiles/Michael_Foerster.htm
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OTHER NAMES FOR "THE BIG BANG":
* The Bottom Turtle

* ∞ (the infinity symbol)

* "That Point In Time When the Volume of the Universe Decreases to
Approximately Zero, and Density Approaches Infinity, and the
Combination of the Strong Nuclear Force and Electromagnetic
Attraction Between Red and Blue Colored Quar-- hey Steve, can't
we think up a nickname for this?!?"

* The Best Of Times, The First Of Times

* The Grand Opening Sale

* #Pop# Goes Existence!

* The Time, Space & Energy Factory Outlet Sale

* and the Number 1 Other Name for "The Big Bang"...
Dude, Where's My Void?

List Compiled by Ed Neuzil

[Here is my personal favorite:]
* from the Calvin & Hobbes comic: "The Horrendous Space Kablooey!"
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NOTE: My participation with SLOOH does not imply an endorsement of
SLOOH by NASA or the Oak Ridge Elementary School PTA.

Conversely, my work at NASA does not imply an endorsement of NASA by
SLOOH or Grand Theft Auto.