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...Lesson for Nasa! US Airmail and Aviation
"What began as a desire and need to carry mail by air became today's global system of passenger airlines." http://www.centennialofflight.gov/es...rmail/POL6.htm There can be little doubt that the efforts of the US govt to jump start commercial aviation has changed the world substantially and for the better. The military started off by providing the initial technology, rikkety Jennys, and some daring pilots. But the govt provided something else far more substantial to creating the world-changing industry of commercial aviation. A market! A cargo! The US Airmail. So....what is the market/cargo for space? For those at Nasa, I feel it's necessary to explain what a market system does. It has mostly to do with /supply and demand./ So....what does space have in abundance that earth does not? What do we need on earth the most which space can provide the best? A simple max/min problem of ....suppply and demand. Concerning a market between .....space and earth. Hmm, we seem to need lots of energy, clean energy, here on earth. Space seems to have plenty of solar power. A market make in heaven. ' Nasa's goal should be to provide a cargo and offer lucritive contracts to put it up. Cargo like this. Science at Nasa Beam it Down, Scotty! "Solar power collected in space and beamed to Earth could be an environmentally friendly solution to our planet's growing energy problems." http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast23mar_1.htm Jonathan ps; I'd normally link to the extensive Space Solar Power home page at Nasa, with all the testimony and detailed studies. But a few weeks after I began ranting about this and linking to the page, it....disappeared! They took the Space Solar Power home page down, or moved it somewhere not easy to find. They seem rather sensitive to this issue, just one more reason to push it. If anyone can find it, I'd appreciate it. s |
#2
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...Lesson for Nasa! US Airmail and Aviation
Solar power requires massive infrastructure. You would need a cost per
Kg about 2 orders of magnitude lower than the current. Also, IMHO, SPS will not be able to provide more than a small fraction of energy needs. Fission is by far preferable in the foreseeable future. |
#3
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...Lesson for Nasa! US Airmail and Aviation
Hyperboreea wrote: Solar power requires massive infrastructure. You would need a cost per Kg about 2 orders of magnitude lower than the current. Also, IMHO, SPS will not be able to provide more than a small fraction of energy needs. Fission is by far preferable in the foreseeable future. Wanna see something neat?: http://www.enviromission.com.au/project/project.htm Pat |
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...Lesson for Nasa! US Airmail and Aviation
"jonathan" wrote:
There can be little doubt that the efforts of the US govt to jump start commercial aviation has changed the world substantially and for the better. The military started off by providing the initial technology, rikkety Jennys, and some daring pilots. But the govt provided something else far more substantial to creating the world-changing industry of commercial aviation. A market! A cargo! The US Airmail. So....what is the market/cargo for space? Do keep in mind that the US Gov sponsored the Airmail program for multiple reasons - of which 'jumpstarting the aviation industry' only one, if not a side effect. D. -- Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh. -Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings. Oct 5th, 2004 JDL |
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...Lesson for Nasa! US Airmail and Aviation
"Hyperboreea" wrote in message ups.com... Solar power requires massive infrastructure. You would need a cost per Kg about 2 orders of magnitude lower than the current. Also, IMHO, SPS will not be able to provide more than a small fraction of energy needs. Fission is by far preferable in the foreseeable future. But fission won't help create a space based industry. It won't give Nasa a reason for being, larger budgets and long lasting public and Congressional support. Fission is also massively expensive and a typical reactor can take 15 or 20 years to be built. And a dramatic increase in fission will require a solution to the nuclear waste issue that has yet to be solved. But I suppose we can turn Nasa into a great big Waste Management company, and have them blast the nuclear waste into the sun~ Besides, I'm not talking about the foreseeable future. I'm talking about the future. Ultimately, say a century or two down the road, where will our energy come from? Solar power is the obvious conclusion. The future should define the present. s |
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...Lesson for Nasa! US Airmail and Aviation
Pat Flannery a écrit :
Hyperboreea wrote: Solar power requires massive infrastructure. You would need a cost per Kg about 2 orders of magnitude lower than the current. Also, IMHO, SPS will not be able to provide more than a small fraction of energy needs. Fission is by far preferable in the foreseeable future. Wanna see something neat?: http://www.enviromission.com.au/project/project.htm Pat Very interesting. Thanks for the link |
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...Lesson for Nasa! US Airmail and Aviation
"Derek Lyons" wrote in message ... "jonathan" wrote: There can be little doubt that the efforts of the US govt to jump start commercial aviation has changed the world substantially and for the better. The military started off by providing the initial technology, rikkety Jennys, and some daring pilots. But the govt provided something else far more substantial to creating the world-changing industry of commercial aviation. A market! A cargo! The US Airmail. So....what is the market/cargo for space? Do keep in mind that the US Gov sponsored the Airmail program for multiple reasons - of which 'jumpstarting the aviation industry' only one, if not a side effect. About those 'side effects'. If we were to convince the world that the US will someday become the world's largest energy ....producer....instead of the largest ...consumer, how will that effect us today??? If I were a corporation and suddenly realized my largest customer was not only planning to walk, but invent a product that makes my company obsolete, I might try to undermine the reasons for that project ASAP. The only way to do that is for the oil producers to find a way to lower oil prices and increase supply. Which would quickly improve our economy and give us more resources for such long term Visions. Imagining the future can have dramatic 'side effects' .....right away. Oh, and another 'side effect' would be a solution to that pesky global warming issue. Oh, and those pesky wars over oil. Oh, and that dependence on foreign countries for our way of life, countries that so dearly love us. Oh, and a renewed purpose and broad support for Nasa. Oh, and a new power source for space travel, exploration and colonization Oh, and an entire new high tech industry, needing all kinds of engineers and scientists. And perhaps the greatest single 'side effect'. Living every day /now /knowing our future is as bright as the sun. Instead of assuming, as most do now, that our future is some version of post-apocalyptic nightmare. In the real world a proper goal is everything. A goal that shines generates the enthusiam and discoveries needed to make it so. Jonathan s D. -- Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh. -Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings. Oct 5th, 2004 JDL |
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...Lesson for Nasa! US Airmail and Aviation
jonathan wrote:
"What began as a desire and need to carry mail by air became today's global system of passenger airlines." http://www.centennialofflight.gov/es...rmail/POL6.htm There can be little doubt that the efforts of the US govt to jump start commercial aviation has changed the world substantially and for the better. The military started off by providing the initial technology, rikkety Jennys, and some daring pilots. But the govt provided something else far more substantial to creating the world-changing industry of commercial aviation. A market! A cargo! The US Airmail. So....what is the market/cargo for space? You mean, like http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/zucocket.htm http://www.astronautix.com/graphics/z/zucux33.jpg ? Please, give me a huge break. -- .. "Though I could not caution all, I yet may warn a few: Don't lend your hand to raise no flag atop no ship of fools!" --grateful dead. __________________________________________________ _____________ Mike Flugennock, flugennock at sinkers dot org "Mikey'zine": dubya dubya dubya dot sinkers dot org |
#9
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...Lesson for Nasa! US Airmail and Aviation
v
A market! A cargo! The US Airmail. So....what is the market/cargo for space? That is, of course, the heart of the problem. Where there is a market - comsats of various kinds - there is substantial investment and interest; where there isn't one, or where at the very least no one has thought of one, there's no investment and no interest (in the financial world). |
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...Lesson for Nasa! US Airmail and Aviation
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