Thread: Ok- poll time!
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Old August 23rd 04, 02:49 AM
Ian Woollard
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Default Ok- poll time!

If you had 'sufficient resources' what is the best way for people to go
into space for tourism within the next ten years?

Guidelines:

1) No current unobtainium/wishalloy permitted

That means space elevators are OUT- we dont have the nanotubes-sorry!
Only stuff we know how to do right now. That also means no scramjets.

2) cheap is good (optimise for per-launch costs)

By best I mean cheapest per person. You can launch them one at a time or
thousands at a time. Fractions of a person is no good :-) Costs need not
include R&D, but must include building launch vehicles and
repair/replacement and all the usual costs (like wages etc).

3) You are allowed $20 billion in 2004 US dollars for your R&D

Go ahead- knock us out- what's the best way that can reasonably work
right now?

It's just a bit of fun. There is a wishalloy cup for the winner. (Or
atleast you'll wish you had one).