From: avatar (avatar@renegadeclothing.com.au)
Date: Sun Feb 02 2003 - 20:25:48 MST
----- Original Message -----
From: "Technotranscendence" <neptune@mars.superlink.net>
To: <extropians@extropy.org>
Sent: Monday, February 03, 2003 1:13 AM
Subject: Revamping the Shuttle Program/was Re: shuttle breaks up on re-entry
> > 3. Visionary Physicist, Freeman Dyson (as
> > opposed to other physicists who merely collect
> > checks) notes that certain big projects supported
> > by governments, tend to be projects where one
> > cannot afford to fail. The Shuttle is but one of
> > these, the dirigibles of the 1920's and 1930's
> > were another. One of the reasons, Dyson gives
> > for the triumph of the airplane over the dirigible
> > is that planes were robust, and their technology
> > advanced extremely rapidly, compared to the
> > dirigible. >
I'm not so convinced that airships are bad players. Popular
Science had a cover article on airships with nuclear engines
once.
With a suitable power source and helium lifting capacity
[if indeed hydrogen is that risky, but let's assume so] they
offer a good alternative to trucks and rail. Possibly (?) even
the Iain Banks etc. idea of the vaccuum balloon (with nano
materials) could be put to work with an airship, even if
compartmentalized.
It's always a good idea to conserve energy where it's easy.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the 70s ideas of airships
and ships with added computer-controlled sails built out of
new nano materials and automated computer controls and
utilizing the trade winds and sea currents.
Even assemblers of all types will need different elements,
minerals transported.
-------------------------
Of course, between short distances (cities) it may be possible
to use dipping vacuum maglev tunnels powered by thermal energy
and utilizing gravity and lack of friction to go most of the way (and
then be locked into position and not fall back again, going the last bit
under the thermally generated power. [Or variants on this.]
-------------------------
Larry Niven's Destiny's Road had foam-packed ship hull molds...
makes me wonder about ships and nano-materials hulls, voiding them
with vacuum for greater buoyancy.
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