bad_astra - 24/11/2005 3:06 PMNo, with the infrastructure that makes sense; LEO embark-disembark stations, Lunar Cyclers, Mars Cyclers, and a robost space economy able to support them. We should be where 2001 had us, and we can't get there with two or three heavy lift launches per year. It simply won't bring about CATS. I'm not trashing the Griffin plan. My only objection to his plan is the SDHLV. If he does get it designed and built, I hope at least that private industry by that time has a good track record in putting humans in orbit and can then show a cheaper way to maintain a lunar base. If that's the case, fine, keep a few battleship Magnums around to do major chores like the launch of an elevator countermass or the hub of a torus station.
bad_astra - 26/11/2005 3:57 PMIncremental building failed because it relied on a transportation system that may cost somewhere between $500,000,000 to a gigabuck to launch. Incremental building would have worked fine (and in a manner of speaking it did work fine despite the costs), had we had cheaper access to space, and not relied soley on the shuttle for some of the components.
realtime - 27/11/2005 1:48 PMNice table. Where'd you get it?
bad_astra - 30/11/2005 1:49 AMWill they take into account the standing army that may well remain mostly intact from the shuttle days?
bad_astra - 30/11/2005 1:49 AMI still have a feeling that the books are already cooked on SDHLV launch prices. Will they take into account the standing army that may well remain mostly intact from the shuttle days? If it is then the actual price/kg to LEO is going to depend very much on the flight rate. If we're going to build it, we'd better REALLY use it.