From: Brent Thomas (bthomas@avatar-intl.com)
Date: Mon Sep 08 2003 - 12:03:13 MDT
As impressive as these and other similar "heavy lifters" are we need to
get away from the idea that the best way to get out of the gravity well
is via any form of self contained thrust/reaction propulsion. It simply
makes no sense to use propellent that you have to lift as a mechanism of
getting to space.
Some alternatives...
1) ground based laser propulsion - "lightcraft" - this has been working
in proto-type stage for years...all we really need is higher powered
lasers (and the weapons boys are working on those for their own ends...)
see
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/laser_propulsion_0007
05.html for some background
2) beanstalk! - this has been limited before now by the need for a
strong material from which to fabricate the supporting structure.
Various forms of nano-tubes are being developed and all thats really
holding this back at this point is the ability to construct longer
strands of the tough material cheaply. Lots of research on lots of
fronts that will lead quickly to addressing this need. See
http://www.isr.us/SEHome.asp for background and details.
3) ?
The $$ and effort that would be spent revamping the Saturn V lifters, or
developing the "next generation" shuttle could be spent with a much
higher return in developing these or other similar projects. Give up on
the idea of massive rockets and consider the alternatives...lets move
toward a real reusable approach ;-)
(estimates here of ~$40/lb (or less) for lift to orbit and high volume
transports not limited "launches")
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