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The best way to overcome the rocket equation is stop going up and down gravity wells. Let’s build orbital factories and habitats.
by atemerev 3y ago
The best way to overcome the rocket equation is stop going up and down gravity wells. Let’s build orbital factories and habitats.
- ben_w 3y agoThat's not "overcoming", it's just working within its limits. You can overcome the rocket equation by using non-rocket based propulsion, such as solar sails, tethers (momentum exchange or grounded e.g. space fountain), slingshot effect, electrodynamic field propulsion, or (if anyone can solve the huge number of issues even at the purely theoretical level never mind practical) spacetime metric propulsion including but not limited to Alcubierre's. Also arguably by using the Oberth effect, but IMO that counts as boosting what you can get from rockets, not sure if it counts as "overcoming" or not…