Re:NASA will test SpinLaunch's ability to fling satellites i...
by panick21_ on Tuesday April 19, 2022 @09:16AM
(#31082659)
The cost from the moon to earth orbit isn't really the issue.
The problem is that to do mining you need a huge industrial base. Mining starts with prospecting. Then you need to develop the resource. You need to refine the resource at least a little. Then you need to mine that resources. Then you need to transport those resources to wherever your cheap launch option is. And then you need to launch it.
Building up such an industrial base on moon is incredibly difficult and would for sure require a massive Starship like rocket at the very minimum.
> Ultimately we need to move our heavy industry off-earth to save our planet's biosphere. In a hundred years when there is a vibrant interplanetary economy, its possible we could eliminate toxic heavy industry on Earth entirely.
Ok, in 100 years, but predicting that far ahead is pretty much useless. My point is that for any foreseeable future launching resource from earth is far more practical.
And from a money perspective it might never make sense, specially from the moon.
If its about the environment, then maybe but then you might capture asteroids instead.
The problem is that to do mining you need a huge industrial base. Mining starts with prospecting. Then you need to develop the resource. You need to refine the resource at least a little. Then you need to mine that resources. Then you need to transport those resources to wherever your cheap launch option is. And then you need to launch it.
Building up such an industrial base on moon is incredibly difficult and would for sure require a massive Starship like rocket at the very minimum.
> Ultimately we need to move our heavy industry off-earth to save our planet's biosphere. In a hundred years when there is a vibrant interplanetary economy, its possible we could eliminate toxic heavy industry on Earth entirely.
Ok, in 100 years, but predicting that far ahead is pretty much useless. My point is that for any foreseeable future launching resource from earth is far more practical.
And from a money perspective it might never make sense, specially from the moon.
If its about the environment, then maybe but then you might capture asteroids instead.