Space elevator

[Fuzzzie]

While the space elevator is a nifty concept, we'd need a serious change in policy and priorities in order to do anything with one (and by we I mean the world's space agencies, hopefully working together instead of competing). Looking to the future is indeed important. It just seems close to pie-in-the-sky at a time when the US space program doesn't even have a heavy-lift launch vehicle.

I think NASA is a lot more open to this now than they have been in the past. Space exploration needs to be a multi-national effort (and should be).

NASA is working with SpaceX as well for a heavy launch platform.
The Falcon Heavy rocket seems promising.

[Archangel Tyrael]

Just wondering since you mentioned Fuzzie... Who pays NASA's bills?

[Fuzzzie]

Just wondering since you mentioned Fuzzie... Who pays NASA's bills?

Taxpayer's. It's a federal agency.

[Archangel Tyrael]

Taxpayer's. It's a federal agency.

I see. Thanks for letting me know

[Fuzzzie]

I see. Thanks for letting me know

Yeah, and now, more and more are those dollars going to private companies that can do the same job but cheaper.

[Sayl]

I think NASA is a lot more open to this now than they have been in the past. Space exploration needs to be a multi-national effort (and should be).

Oh, absolutely -- the landscape is slowly changing because partnerships have become a necessity in order to complete certain tasks. There are inevitable politics to contend with though, at least for the near future. I try to remain optimistic about it all though. In the early 1980s it seemed like a distant fantasy that Russians and Americans might collaborate long-term in orbit. Yet, there we are. I'm also hoping that a growing success rate for private companies will help dilute some of the existing nationalism.

[Senbo]

and then like 100 years after the space elevators are built the organization Celestial Being will start its fight to stop fighting.

[Logonov]

dont be too depressed, some university apparently did the math to figure out how much a real life death star would cost

[Archangel Tyrael]

Yeah, and now, more and more are those dollars going to private companies that can do the same job but cheaper.

How can they make it cheaper?

[Fuzzzie]

Oh, absolutely -- the landscape is slowly changing because partnerships have become a necessity in order to complete certain tasks. There are inevitable politics to contend with though, at least for the near future. I try to remain optimistic about it all though. In the early 1980s it seemed like a distant fantasy that Russians and Americans might collaborate long-term in orbit. Yet, there we are. I'm also hoping that a growing success rate for private companies will help dilute some of the existing nationalism.

A relationship with the Chinese will keep the program alive. They have the most ambitious plans currently.

---------- Post added 2012-02-29 at 07:42 PM ----------

How can they make it cheaper?

They're a buisness, not a government body. Their goal is profit above all else. They wont take a project that wont net a profit for them.

[Sayl]

A relationship with the Chinese will keep the program alive.

Yeah, that's primarily what I meant by "inevitable politics" in my last post. The NASA Administrator's Office has made it clear that they're open to working with China. Many in Congress however are not, and that's a significant problem seeing as they control the purse strings. From a couple of months ago:

Cooperation between NASA and the Chinese space program is currently minimal. A provision inserted into the 2011 budget resolution by Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., bars the use of federal funds to conduct bilateral science exchanges with China.

Wolf also spoke at yesterday's hearing, reiterating his support for the ban and the reasoning behind it. It doesn't make sense for the United States to assist China's technological development, he said, given Beijing's poor human rights record and its potential aspirations of global military supremacy.

Something has to give, sometime.

They have the most ambitious plans currently.

The CNSA's announcements have gotten lots of media attention over the last decade, but the press has a really bad habit of not following up on the story. At this time, the agency isn't being funded in the way they need to carry out those plans, not terribly different from what's happened with NASA during the same period. If we go by official numbers, the CNSA receives an annual budget that's less than 3% of NASA's. Even though they have lower overhead, that's drastically short of what's needed for lunar expeditions and all the other stuff the agency placed on the table.

[Sorrior]

idk, do you have a clip? It's gonna be tough for me to sit through all that just for a scene

Looking up episode now. I think it's 18 or 19.

[Fuzzzie]

Looking up episode now. I think it's 18 or 19.

I wouldn't even know where to go to find that.

[Reeve]

How can they make it cheaper?

Lots of reasons. For one, there's probably less overhead, and certainly less bureaucracy. For another, US Governmental agencies are required to prefer American suppliers. A private company can source their parts and materials from manufacturers that can make them cheaper in other countries.

[Archangel Tyrael]

Lots of reasons. For one, there's probably less overhead, and certainly less bureaucracy. For another, US Governmental agencies are required to prefer American suppliers. A private company can source their parts and materials from manufacturers that can make them cheaper in other countries.

Yup, somewhat like what Fuzzzie told me as well.

I'm still amazed that they want to build it by 2050. Would be awesome to see it

[herpecin]

Over a 500 year picture, such things become feasible. The easiest source of a massive counterweight would not be to launch it, but to collect it from space. Would be far cheaper to send a mission to the asteroid belt to pick up one and bring it back then launch that much material into orbit. If we put forth the effort, we probably have the technology to do such a mission (albeit, expensively and probably not efficiently). The nanotubes - that is a different story.

or we could simply collect all of the non-functioning satellites we've put into orbit in the past 50 years.

[Sorrior]

dont be too depressed, some university apparently did the math to figure out how much a real life death star would cost

Got nothing on the robotics professor from japan who not only figured out how much a gundam would cost to build but HOW to build one with CURRENT TECH. Complete with BLUEPRINTS.

---------- Post added 2012-03-01 at 03:12 AM ----------

I wouldn't even know where to go to find that.

There ya go fully legit starts about 10 minutes in. Ignore the unit that makes physics it's bitch. This particular type of tower uses a purge system to minimize damage but well the best laid plans.

[FearXI]

I can see the religious nuts flock to this thing.
Ancient city in the land of Shinar in which the building of a tower (Tower of Babel) intended to reach heaven was begun and the confusion of the language of the people took place. Gen. 11:4–9
Funny enough if you look at it if Japanese are building it not many of us would understand them lol.

In any case I think it would be a big leap forward into looking into our little place in this universe.

[Fuzzzie]

There ya go fully legit starts about 10 minutes in. Ignore the unit that makes physics it's bitch. This particular type of tower uses a purge system to minimize damage but well the best laid plans.

And sadly we have no cool plant to deal with millions of tonnes of crap raining down on us.

[Sorrior]

And sadly we have no cool plant to deal with millions of tonnes of crap raining down on us.

As i said solved through show specific means. But yeah it shows pretty well what COULD happen if it goes wrong. Though they probably understate the death toll.