The President's Space Initiative Speech

In article B7xNb.72889$I06.326075@attbi_s01, "Jay Honeck"
writes:


The science behind interplanetary space travel dictates that a moon base
WILL make space exploration cheaper.

The main cost of space exploration is in the booster system required to
escape Earth's gravity. Launching from the moon's lesser gravitational pull
is much easier, requires smaller rockets, and is thus much cheaper.
--

And from L5, the trailing Trojan position in the moon's orbit, the cost is even
less.

If you can find it, read "Halfway to Anywhere" by Jerry Pournelle.

Don

--
Wm. Donald (Don) Tabor Jr., DDS
PP-ASEL
Chesapeake, VA - CPK, PVG

"Jay Honeck" wrote:
One of the most laughable parts of Bush's speech was when
he said that a human base on the moon would make space
exploration cheaper? Yep folks, according to the president,
a moon base is going to SAVE us some money.
Oooookaaay.

The science behind interplanetary space travel dictates that
a moon base WILL make space exploration cheaper.

The main cost of space exploration is in the booster system
required to escape Earth's gravity. Launching from the
moon's lesser gravitational pull is much easier, requires
smaller rockets, and is thus much cheaper.

Everything launched from the moon will have to be launched from Earth
first. Anything going to Mars will have to escape gravity twice.

We will have to fund two spaceports, one of which will have to be
resupplied by rocket ships. How is this going to be cheaper?
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM
(remove pants to reply by email)

"Dan Luke" wrote in message
...

"Jay Honeck" wrote:
One of the most laughable parts of Bush's speech was when
he said that a human base on the moon would make space
exploration cheaper? Yep folks, according to the president,
a moon base is going to SAVE us some money.
Oooookaaay.

The science behind interplanetary space travel dictates that
a moon base WILL make space exploration cheaper.

The main cost of space exploration is in the booster system
required to escape Earth's gravity. Launching from the
moon's lesser gravitational pull is much easier, requires
smaller rockets, and is thus much cheaper.

Everything launched from the moon will have to be launched from Earth
first. Anything going to Mars will have to escape gravity twice.

We will have to fund two spaceports, one of which will have to be
resupplied by rocket ships. How is this going to be cheaper?
--

The only way one can avoid this to have a moon colony which can produce
stuff for the 2nd launch instead of getting it from earth. That means
setting up a self-sustaining moon colony plus more. How long is that going
to take? The ISS is not done, and space shuttle program is in remission.
Wow, talk about pipe dreams. This will be a 50-100 year program. It's
probably a good long term goal, but the timing is a bit suspect.

"Dan Luke" wrote:

Everything launched from the moon will have to be launched from Earth
first. Anything going to Mars will have to escape gravity twice.

Perhaps, perhaps not. Materials for radiation shielding,
perhaps fuel or oxidizer are available on the moon.
Construction is likely to be easier than on-orbit, and a
Mars mission is likely to be heavier than a single boost can
accommodate.


Todd Pattist
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)
___
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In article , "Dan Luke"
wrote:

Everything launched from the moon will have to be launched from Earth
first. Anything going to Mars will have to escape gravity twice.

Not true.

--
Bob Noel

"plumb bob" wrote:

How can we fall behind the Chinese because they are going to the moon? We
already did that almost 35 years ago!

In ten years, if the Chinese can send a man to the moon, and
we still can't, the average observer will say we're behind.

Todd Pattist
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)
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"Todd Pattist" wrote:
In ten years, if the Chinese can send a man to the moon, and
we still can't, the average observer will say we're behind.

Which is exactly why we went in the first place, and why the Chinese are
talking about going now: for the propaganda value.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM
(remove pants to reply by email)

"Dan Luke" wrote:

Which is exactly why we went in the first place, and why the Chinese are
talking about going now: for the propaganda value.

I won't argue. Value is value. I'd like America to be
thought of and ultimately remembered as the strongest
supporter of humanity's space program, not just the only
nation to ever use a nuclear weapon in war.

Todd Pattist
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)
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Make a commitment to learn something from every flight.
Share what you learn.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:hPiNb.67808$na.39439@attbi_s04...
I caught most of it -- and it was fantastic! To hear a president
actually
promoting manned space travel, and laying out a plausible, doable plan to
get our space program back on track, was a breath of fresh air on a bleak
and dreary January day.

Hell, maybe we'll set foot on Mars before I die after all?

I often tell my children how the U.S. once led the world in space travel,
and of how my generation grew up with the excitement and national pride of
putting a man on the moon. Until today, I would also sadly explain to
them
how we had squandered our future, and abandoned the dream...

Well, President Bush has today put us back on track. As pilots (I like to
call what we do "extremely low earth orbit... :-) let's get the phone
calls
and emails rolling to our elected representatives, and tell 'em to get on
board this new initiative!

Let's see: "Congress shall have the power to promote and fund space
travel"...that must be the 247th Amendment; my copy is outdated -- it stops
at the 236th Amendment.

Jay Honeck wrote:

I caught most of it -- and it was fantastic! To hear a president
actually promoting manned space travel, and laying out a plausible, doable
plan to get our space program back on track, was a breath of fresh air on
a bleak and dreary January day.

Hell, maybe we'll set foot on Mars before I die after all?

I often tell my children how the U.S. once led the world in space travel,
and of how my generation grew up with the excitement and national pride of
putting a man on the moon. Until today, I would also sadly explain to
them how we had squandered our future, and abandoned the dream...

Well, President Bush has today put us back on track. As pilots (I like to
call what we do "extremely low earth orbit... :-) let's get the phone
calls and emails rolling to our elected representatives, and tell 'em to
get on board this new initiative!

I'm cautiously optomistic, we are way overdue with our space exploration.

I fear this may only be election year rhetoric. Or strictly a reaction to
the Chinese announcements.

What I don't want is another cold war style of competition. If the Chinese
are serious about going into space then there should be plenty of
opportunity for cooperation. Let them foot the bill for some of the expense
instead of competing with them. Manned space exploration is too expensive
to allow for duplication of effort.

Also, it would be a mistake to abandon our unmanned program, it's too cost
effective.

--
Frank....H