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This is a good example of a space-based research initiative that might find significant applications on Earth. I think the key reason that space-based research
by ETH_start 2y ago
This is a good example of a space-based research initiative that might find significant applications on Earth.
I think the key reason that space-based research tends to be so technologically fruitful is that it imposes a discipline on the science done, through the constraints that space imposes on meeting ambitious mission objectives.
Space initiatives also provide a justification for doing the kind of blue skies research that might otherwise find difficulty finding funding.
- itronitron 2y agoThe applications on Earth are already realized: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_beam_welding#Equipment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_beam_welding#Equipment https://rickyswelding.com/best-laser-welding-machine/ https://rickyswelding.com/best-laser-welding-machine/
- ETH_start 2y agoOh, that's excellent
- mmooss 2y ago> I think the key reason that space-based research tends to be so technologically fruitful is that it imposes a discipline on the science done, through the constraints that space imposes on meeting ambitious mission objectives. The enormous budget and the elite scientific and engineering talent also may help. On Earth, those resources don't usually go toward finding a new way to weld things.
- fmbb 2y agoIt’s a bit weird that NASA are doing the research. In the next century dozens of corporations bigger than most countries of Earth will be up in space mining millions of tons of gold and other rare materials, tax free anywhere. It seems they will see the greatest benefit from this research, but they don’t want to pay for it? I mean I would also choose to just get free stuff. But why are we giving it away?
- goodcanadian 2y ago1. Doing research is exactly the purpose of NASA. 2. I'm highly sceptical of the idea that space mining will be an economically profitable activity in the near future and even more sceptical of the idea that nation states on Earth won't find a way to tax it.
- jcgrillo 2y agoIt's probably not super realistic to mine resources in space and send the raw material down the gravity well but it's hard to imagine any space-based manufacturing without mining. Whether our species will ever attempt such a thing is.. who knows? But hauling heavy loads to and from Earth makes very little sense.
- mmooss 2y ago> It's probably not super realistic to mine resources in space and send the raw material down the gravity well I wonder about it: Gravity pulling through zero drag (before the atmosphere) sounds like cheap transportation of just about any mass. We have lots of experience aiming the landing site of deorbiting objects. How much would the ship cost - can we do it without an engine or fuel, with a little boost in the right direction from an orbital base? What would be needed for the cargo to survive reentry and 'landing' - for exampple, a heat shield? After landing, how much would recovery and transportation of the cargo cost? You don't want to be retrieving it from under 3,000 m of water.
- jcgrillo 2y agoThat is an interesting question. Doing it without losing the load seems challenging but could work if you're basically pummeling an area with raw ore then subsequently mining and refining it? I wonder what the atmospheric consequences would be?
- mmooss 2y agoAlso, the ore may be affected by the heat. It's enough to incinerate many things falling from space.
- stevenwoo 2y agoThe most recent Planet Money podcast talks about how the latest microchip innovation was proposed by a nuclear weapons researcher and cost the us government roughly 300-400 million but the engineering research to make a practical ultraviolet etching machine cost ASML nine billion and twenty years of development, they said if they knew it would take that long they might never have attempted it but they are now the sole maker of such devices which seems to have made the investment worthwhile.
- aaron695 2y ago[dead]