"Micky" wrote in message ...
That is the most interesting idea ive ever read... I wonder what the cost of
doing that would be though... To much.
Do you think it would avoid radiation problems.??? because of the thick
surface area etc.

An asteroid exterior, by its very nature, is designed with
*protection* of human and life support cargos in mind. It's rock/metal
composition offers the ultimate in strength and *durability* against
not just radiation but all the cosmic elements likely to be
encountered on voyages spanning thousands of years.

I do not see cost as the bottleneck to this or any other project, I
see the prohibition on launching *nuclear* reactors and warheads into
space as the ultimate constraining force to all human progression in
the present era.

Technically, a state of *WAR* exists between the inhabitants of planet
Earth fighting to expand out into the cosmos and the surrounding
cosmic adversities levelled at humanity to keep it cocooned in on one
planet where it was born! (Now you're gonna say I sound like a
philosopher!!!)

In such a state of *WAR*, we should not have to wait 13 months to
orbit a probe around the Moon (e.g. Europe's SMART-1 arriving at lunar
orbit next month) or waiting several years to reach one small asteroid
using some puny ion-propulsion gismo! No, this is no time to be
relying on solar-electric propulsion. That to me is like fighting
someone with match sticks... who's using guns against you! What we
need are some heavy duty NUCLEAR blasters that get us to nearby solar
system bodies in weeks!

Get countries like Iran, North Korea and any other "axis of evils" who
stand in the way of human progression under manners, and we can safely
lift the ban on nuclear launches to outer space. Then we're in a
position to start carving out bases on the Moon, blasting asteroids to
Earth to build STARSHIPS, blasting astronauts to Mars and beyond...in
no time at all.

Abdul Ahad