A pro-business way to spend $U$356.5 billion to $2 trillion the only hope for SPS

Maglev launch, Peak Oil, Iwreck & mo' revisited



TIRED ARGUEMENTS

I keep hearing the same themes over and over such as "we can't launch from
sea level because of Earth's dense atmosphere" (or "lower taxes brings
greater economic growth and prosperity so government revenues should be
infinite at a tax rate of zero for that matter") .

As of this posting "we"'ve already sank $U$356.5 billion into a failed
Mideast experiment that should be written off as a lost. The anti-business,
pro-speculation class, pro-monopoly Bureaupublican Reich wingers (at least
they know what they're for) obviously don't understand economics.

http://nationalpriorities.org/index....per&Itemid=182


Or maybe Lawrence Kudlow wants America's supply of snow white to be cut off
before Three-Piece Suit Larry falls off the wagon again?



WHAT WE CAN DO - ALTERNATIVES TO LEO -- SYSTEMS

Enough of the "bad attitudes" (what we can't do); How about what we can do?

A search for "evacuated tube" returned no results. How about a system such
as the following:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...cuated+tube%22


or even Josh Storrs Hall's Space Pier:

http://discuss.foresight.org/~josh/t...struction.html



WHAT WE CAN DO - ALTERNATIVES TO LEO - SYSTEMS - MOST PRACTICAL OPTIONS

I think that using an evacuated tube and placing as much of the tube at or
near sea level as possible would be cheaper than the pier.

I like JP Aerospace's idea too -- if they can make it work. Unfortunately,
they aren't even telling us what their propulsion system is.

http://www.jpaerospace.com/


Another idea, make use of helium to support a portion of the pier or
evacuated tube system.

Where towers are needed, perhaps they can be used for other purposes
(telescopes, communications, solar chimneys, replace weather balloons, etc.)

http://www.enviromission.com.au/
http://vortexengine.ca/


If we are going to start on the ground and eject at 70,000 ft. to 100 km
(approx. 328,000 ft), why stop at orbital speeds? When the payloads reach
the climb phase should it already be at orbital speed? This may be hazardous
if power goes out or other failures occur.

There seems to be a problem with the StarTram analysis (although the problem
may be I skimmed instead of reading which would require engineering
expertise a BBA isn't likely to have). If an object comes out of the tube
merely at orbital velocity, wouldn't it be necessary to use fuel to get to a
decent altitude. Then there is the drag along the way. Perhaps the air in
front can be ionized into a plasma (an idea proposed by NASA as part of its
own blimp-to-orbit idea) to reduce drag. If anyone can find a link to an
online resource on this, it would be appreciated.


WHAT WE CAN DO - ALTERNATIVES TO LEO - SYSTEMS -- MATERIALS

Josh Hall mentioned diamond, why not more practical materials such as carbon
fiber/epoxy or a pressurized shell of PBO fiber?

http://www.google.com/search?num=100...rized+shell%22



WHAT WE CAN DO - ALTERNATIVES TO LEO - SYSTEMS - COST ESTIMATES

I find the cost estimates a bit difficult to believe. I would think that
even the StarTram would end up costing $600 billion. If done by such
state-chartered bureaucracies as Helliburton they will probably overcharge
us by $6 trillion and waltz off with $5.4 trillion plus the reasonable
profit already included in the $600 billion.



WHAT WE CAN DO - ALTERNATIVES TO LEO - SYSTEMS - NECESSITY OF CONSTRUCTION

With cheap access to space it would be easy to launch the infrastructure to
mine NEAs (Near Earth Asteroids), the Moon, other moons (Deimos and Phobos)
and crank out solar furnaces which could be attached to space stations with
elevators or rotating tethers (to provide an additional boost to objects
launched into orbit from the tube/pier).



WHAT WE CAN DO - NECESSARY CONPLIMENTARY CHANGES ON EARTH

It should be possible to convert to an electric economy. Heat homes with
"geothermal" electric and buildings with solar. Perhaps we can put magnetic
induction systems in the most heavily traveled sections of roadways,
electrify rail lines, and build grade-separated (elevated) PRT (personal
rapid transit) systems to dramatically reduce the need for hydrocarbon
fuels. As for fuel cells, we'd probably need to go into space anyway to get
the platinum needed to build them (not to mention that to get hydrogen from
water one must put energy into the water).



WHAT WE CAN DO - CONPLIMENTARY LEO TO PLANETS PROPULSION SYSTEMS - USE M2P2
AND GO FOR SPEED WITH HUMAN CARGO

Perhaps various ideas can be combined such as using M2P2
(Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion) after a tether boost from LEO. The
tricky part is slowing quickly upon approach of Deimos or Phobos. It has
been suggested that the same tricks ships with sails use to fight the wind
can be used. Perhaps in time maglev systems (or tethers) in space can be
used to slow approaching vessels.

When it comes to human cargo, I think that with these technologies the light
and fast approach (a few weeks max) may be best once there are doctors on at
least one of Mar's moons -- just put someone in a suit or canister under
sedation and send him/her on the journey.



WHAT WE CAN DO - CONPLIMENTARY LEO TO PLANETS PROPULSION SYSTEMS - OTHER
USES FOR M2P2

Other possible uses for M2P2 I can think of would be to power cyclers and
move asteroids (which according to astrophysicist Fred Adams of the
University of Michigan and NASA's Gregory Laughlin (and Dr. Benny J.
Peiser's who spends most of his time trying to find ways to keep asteroids
from Earth and also reviewed their work) in turn could be used to move the
Earth). If it can be used to power tethers (would take ingenuity at the very
least I suppose) that would be great too.

http://www.ess.washington.edu/Space/M2P2/
http://www.space.com/scienceastronom...ve_010207.html



THE FOURTH PANET SHOULD NOT BE THE FOCUS

I have my "biases". I am inclined to think that the fastest and cheapest way
to get to the fourth planet (whose name I dare not speak or write) (and the
Moon as well) is by its moons and NEAs, unless perhaps you want another
junket that gets little of lasting value accomplished. The fourth planet
should not be the focus, except when it comes to marketing.