Earlier quoted context omitted.
The Hohmann transfer time between Saturn and Mars/Earth is around 16 years. So, all the ships used for such a supply mission would reach their destination at least 32 years after they’ve been built, assuming we build them on Earth.
That's not really a problem if the supply is continuous. Think of the last time you drank a 12-year scotch, that distillery had to be set up and start producing at least 12 years ago for them to label the product that way but they've continued production constantly since then which ensures there is a steady supply to be delivered to stores.
Titan's Resources and Their Utilization
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Re: Titan's Resources and Their Utilization
#12Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's not really a problem if the supply is continuous. Think of the last time you drank a 12-year scotch, that distillery had to be set up and start producing at least 12 years ago for them to label the product that way but they've continued production constantly since then which ensures there is a steady supply to be delivered to stores.
Spirits are not capital intensive. Building a rocket is very capital intensive. You'd like to be able to reuse it. But if one single mission takes 30 years, then you can reuse this rocket once, at most twice. Let's say you reuse it twice, you amortize the capital cost over a period of 90 years. Now, let's say someone builds the exact same rockets, but they do missions between the asteroid belt and Mars. Each trip tak…
Re: Titan's Resources and Their Utilization
#13Earlier quoted context omitted.
Spirits are not capital intensive. Building a rocket is very capital intensive. You'd like to be able to reuse it. But if one single mission takes 30 years, then you can reuse this rocket once, at most twice. Let's say you reuse it twice, you amortize the capital cost over a period of 90 years. Now, let's say someone builds the exact same rockets, but they do missions between the asteroid belt and Mars. Each trip tak…
I'm not sure what you're talking about, my initial comment was a (sort of silly) idea about building a mass driver on Titan that uses native materials to launch payloads on an inward bound trajectory, not to ferry them back and forth with a rocket.
Re: Titan's Resources and Their Utilization
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not sure what you're talking about, my initial comment was a (sort of silly) idea about building a mass driver on Titan that uses native materials to launch payloads on an inward bound trajectory, not to ferry them back and forth with a rocket.
That's an interesting idea, but I don't think you can use a mass driver to shoot something from an higher orbit to a lower orbit.
Re: Titan's Resources and Their Utilization
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not sure what you're talking about, my initial comment was a (sort of silly) idea about building a mass driver on Titan that uses native materials to launch payloads on an inward bound trajectory, not to ferry them back and forth with a rocket.
That's an interesting idea, but I don't think you can use a mass driver to shoot something from an higher orbit to a lower orbit.