4 ms·

What's with the sudden activity ins space related defence initiatives. What's the angle here? Colonization of space aka the expanse?

by kk58 6y ago

robnado 6y ago
People want to start mining asteroids for their precious metal content.
- Valgrim 6y ago
  You can also mine large amount of non-precious metals and keep it in space as construction material for large orbital structures.
londons_explore 6y ago
I could see mini nuclear reactors working out cheaper for power generation than factory scale ones. Sure, nuclear is far more efficient at scale from a physics and engineering perspective, but this is probably outweighed by the political costs of spending billions of dollars to relearn how to build nuclear facilities. If on the other hand we can make container scale reactors and just truck them into places, we can deploy power anywhere with very little political cost.
- m463 6y ago
  I think of Elon Musk's emphasis on the machine that makes the machine is probably what we want to make nuclear plentiful and affordable. I like the idea of being able to move the parts of a reactor from the factory to a site for assembly. But honestly, the idea of a container-scale / portable reactor gives me the heebie jeebies. An operational reactor that can be easily moved is something that will go wrong, someday, somehow.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
Beached 6y ago
dissolving relations with Russia, china increasing space capabilities, and few if any western friendly country capable of preserving western allies space interests means US investment and ramp up. the only other capable space program to fill the void and protect western allies interests is the EU, except they are farther behind and are showing no interest, and instead are insistent that there is little need and that china and Russia will never even dream of restricting access or hindering space activities.
tmccrary55 6y ago
Directed energy weapons? Rail gun?

What's with the sudden activity ins space related defence initiatives. What's the angle here? Colonization of space aka the expanse?

by kk58 6y ago

What's with the sudden activity ins space related defence initiatives. What's the angle here? Colonization of space aka the expanse?

robnado 6y ago

People want to start mining asteroids for their precious metal content.

Valgrim 6y ago
You can also mine large amount of non-precious metals and keep it in space as construction material for large orbital structures.

londons_explore 6y ago

I could see mini nuclear reactors working out cheaper for power generation than factory scale ones. Sure, nuclear is far more efficient at scale from a physics and engineering perspective, but this is probably outweighed by the political costs of spending billions of dollars to relearn how to build nuclear facilities. If on the other hand we can make container scale reactors and just truck them into places, we can deploy power anywhere with very little political cost.

m463 6y ago
I think of Elon Musk's emphasis on the machine that makes the machine is probably what we want to make nuclear plentiful and affordable. I like the idea of being able to move the parts of a reactor from the factory to a site for assembly. But honestly, the idea of a container-scale / portable reactor gives me the heebie jeebies. An operational reactor that can be easily moved is something that will go wrong, someday, somehow.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

Beached 6y ago

dissolving relations with Russia, china increasing space capabilities, and few if any western friendly country capable of preserving western allies space interests means US investment and ramp up. the only other capable space program to fill the void and protect western allies interests is the EU, except they are farther behind and are showing no interest, and instead are insistent that there is little need and that china and Russia will never even dream of restricting access or hindering space activities.

tmccrary55 6y ago

Directed energy weapons? Rail gun?