Elite / Frontier Theoretically Possible?

[Kipper]

I was thinking.

Do you think if there was a motivated enough person/organisation with enough money, and they didn't have to worry about red tape and personal risk - does the technology exist to build a spaceship that could be piloted around say the closest two planets (Venus and Mars) and perform a useful function such as dragging a mineable asteroid back to earth orbit?

It occurred to me that the human race might be stifling its own progress due to 'health and safety' and the like.... I mean the early human explorers on this planet often put themselves at great personal risk (and found great potential reward at the end) - these days we never seem to do anything unless we think its perfectly safe (even intrinsically unsafe things such as space exploration).

 

[Cyborg]

Hmmm LOL

I dont know? if it´s possible??
But i think, that Columbus wouldn´t go out, search another route to india, if he had known, that he and his crew could end, in a great 50000ft high FIREBALL...

Greetz

 

[Steve O B Have]

They're way ahead of you. Do some reading into the X-Prize competition and the ultimate aims of the organisation.

Not sure if you remembered but Burt Rutan of Scaled Composites has been the first privately funded company to put a man in space - I can assure you that they will not be far from from putting a man in orbit, then on the moon and then into interplanetary space, then quite possibly mars.

 

[Kipper]

I know about SpaceShipOne and all that, but they still have to think about and develop these things (and they're doing it a sight quicker than NASA at least).

But the real question was - is the technology available, could it be done now? As far as I know, even Scaled Composites are still researching....

Personally, I think some sort of off-earth shipyard is going to be key, so we don't have to worry so much about the initial escape. 70% (more?) of the weight of spacecraft launched from Earth is fuel.

 

[Steve O B Have]

Utterly, but end of the day they have to get all of the resources into orbit before they can actually launch something. Especially carrying up excess fuel. IMO (as sp****ly educated as I am) the first major bridge that they have to cross is getting things into orbit with lesser resource use.

It's all very well getting the launchpad there but you have to get the ship and the propellant up there as well. This is something that Rutan managed to work around with the Whiteknight high altitude release vehicle.

 

[Blood]

had fun

Mister Kipper. Really enjoyed your post. We agree on only one thing tho. But it was amusing to notice how you tickled my emoticons.

First of all ; to me there is noting wrong with practising the principle of "health and safety" ; as you call it. It made reach "Scaled Composites" into space. Buy the DVD to judge their struggle and be stunned by the decisions they make or just enjoy their website.
http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/gallery/

Second ; I agree with Steve O B Have
I will expand even further. Every enterprising pioneer will have to work out production-secrets and production-procedures on their own. In our free enterprise system 'getting the resources into results" is a timeconsuming proces because the presence of competition prevents the free flow of information.
Hence ; there is no (as you called it) "human race stifling its own progress". There are individuals sticking their neck out and taking risks. Depending on their qualities, their startposition at birth and a whole lot of other factors. And wanting a reward for that . You know that

And .. oh .. euhh ... yes. <Theoreticcally possible> ... of course.
The technology does exist to build a spaceship that could be piloted around say the closest two planets (Venus and Mars) and perform a useful function such as dragging a mineable asteroid back to earth orbit. Sure. Just put the right people together

Blood.

 

[Dragonstar]

I think it is possible now, given enough money and power. But first society has got to change.

I read a book years ago that had some good ideas with quite a bit of fact. It was called "The Millenial Project: Colonizing the Galaxy in 8 Steps" There was some interesting stuff in there.

 

[Kipper]

to me there is noting wrong with practising the principle of "health and safety" ; as you call it.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with health and safety, just like lawyers, politicians and political correctness.

The thing they all have in common is that while fine in moderation, there really is just too much of it going about. At least in the UK, in my opinion

A place where you can't call a blackboard a blackboard because its racist? (Even though its a board, and its black...)

Its our duty to make everything we do as safe as we can, so that minimal risk of harm comes to those that do it, however, some things are just risky by nature, and trying to make it safe means you never actually do it.

I'm sure more people worldwide are injured in accidents involved in trying on a jumper with a lit cigarette in their mouths than are in space......

 

[Steve O B Have]

Of course there are more people wearing jumpers that are smokers than there are people in space.

 

[Blood]

I'm sure more people worldwide are injured in accidents involved in trying on a jumper with a lit cigarette in their mouths ......

Its our duty to make everything we do as safe as we can, so that minimal risk of harm comes to those that do it, ... , some things are just risky by nature, and trying to make it safe means you never actually do it.

Kipper, Theoretically you are trying to convince me we need to make things as safe as we can for jumpers with a lit cigarette in their mouths

But I hear you. You're eager. I'll be happy to fly as your wingman while passing Venus in Elite 4. I will feel secure.

Blood.

 

[Kipper]

I'm not saying we shouldn't do our best to make things safe, but there has to be balance.....

My calculator has more processing power than the apollo rockets, i'm almost 30 and the moon landing was almost 10 years before I was even born.

What have we been doing for all this time!!

 

[VictorT]

well, here in america, we've been manipulating 3rd world countries to secure our petrolium futures..

 

[Blood]

What have we been doing for all this time!!

First : I have been paying taxes and played safe on the ELITE platform . Then again I know others telling me they took part in manipulating 3rd world countries to secure their petrolium futures. We all have arguments of a personal nature.

Second ; the two primary things you did I can only deduct from given bits and pieces of information. But I can give it a try. It might not and can't be that hard.
1. You seemed and may have missed the proclamation the moonlanding was really and absolutely a privately funded, yet awesome, YouTube-Production and
2. maybe, just maybe, when I read your first post in this thread,; but I can't be really sure of that, was wearing jumpers and a cigarette at great personal risk ; exploring this planet. But I probably am completely wrong so do please forgive me

With regards and respect too,
Now you might have noticed we just passed VENUS. We could better focus on autopilot and MARS now.

Blood.

 

[Steve O B Have]

I have been busy justifying my existance by telling people not to smoke whilst wearing jumpers

 

[Kipper]

No, you can smoke while wearing it. Just don't try and put it on or remove it whist a cigarette is in your mouth

I dont smoke personally, its just one of those things I heard recently. Along with some figure for how many brits managed to kill themselves with christmas tree lights, or how many hospital admissions there have been with zipper related incidents.

Gotta love a bit of natural selection.

 

[Steve O B Have]

No, you can smoke while wearing it. Just don't try and put it on or remove it whist a cigarette is in your mouth

Ahhhhh now that'd explain the odd looks I've been getting

 

[Blood]

that'd explain the odd looks I've been getting

It's not the cigarette.
It is just not common practise to remove them in public

Blood.