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Asteroids are very valuable targets in the solar system. It's because they're low delta vee to get to, and don't require high thrust since they don't have a dee
by Gravityloss 3y ago
Asteroids are very valuable targets in the solar system. It's because they're low delta vee to get to, and don't require high thrust since they don't have a deep and steep gravity well. This means electric propulsion can be used. Trip times might be long though.
One could extract materials from asteroids and bring them anywhere in space with low delta vee budgets.
- swayvil 3y agowhat is this particular asteroid made of? Iron? Nevermind. It's a C-type asteroid. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-type_asteroid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-type_asteroid A chunk of coal mixed with pebbles
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- Gravityloss 3y agoJust one example: If you want to go anywhere in space with chemical propulsion, most of your mass will likely be oxygen. For example oxygen-hydrogen rockets often have 6:1 mass ratio of oxygen to hydrogen. SpaceX Raptor has 3.6:1. Having a low delta vee source of oxygen is potentially extremely valuable. Hydrocarbons and water also are very useful.