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A lot of manufacturing processes are easier without an atmosphere. Also low gravity makes it easy to launch completed product out to space for future space miss

A lot of manufacturing processes are easier without an atmosphere. Also low gravity makes it easy to launch completed product out to space for future space missions

ipython 1y ago
Which manufacturing processes are easier w/o an atmosphere? We've placed objects in planetary orbits for 75 years now. If there was an obvious economic benefit to a manufacturing process outside of 1G, then we'd have had a business actively exploiting that opportunity for profit.
- wongarsu 1y ago
  ZBLAN, a high quality optic fibre, can be made in space with fewer defects. A process that is in the process of being exploited. Though the rather limited space on the ISS and its imminent decommissioning complicate that a bit. I think the current plan is to launch satellites for commercial production
stickfigure 1y ago
Maybe, but the shipping costs are killer and physics puts a hard minimum on the price. We have plenty of earthbound motivation to solve the "energy too cheap to meter" problem. We're nowhere near that. Adding one more big energy consumer (moving cargo to/from orbit) does not make a material difference.
- AtlasBarfed 1y ago
  What's your hard minimum on price? Starship is supposed (Musk hype warning!) to be 1/10th to 1/100th the cost. We haven't done skyhooks or launch loops or launch cannons, which are large upfront projects but once built are semi-permanent economic gamechangers.
palmotea 1y ago
> A lot of manufacturing processes are easier without an atmosphere. Also low gravity makes it easy to launch completed product out to space for future space missions I always felt like that was a backwards justification for going to space (we want to go to space, how do we sell it), rather than a real need to that would push people to go to space.
bunderbunder 1y ago
Unless the raw materials are also on the moon, putting the manufacturing equipment on the lunar surface instead of in low Earth orbit might actually make sending it further out more expensive, not less. Because of the Oberth effect.
- nothercastle 1y ago
  The raw has to be on the moon at least the heavy stuff. Otherwise you are right makes no sense

A lot of manufacturing processes are easier without an atmosphere. Also low gravity makes it easy to launch completed product out to space for future space missions

ipython 1y ago

Which manufacturing processes are easier w/o an atmosphere? We've placed objects in planetary orbits for 75 years now. If there was an obvious economic benefit to a manufacturing process outside of 1G, then we'd have had a business actively exploiting that opportunity for profit.

wongarsu 1y ago
ZBLAN, a high quality optic fibre, can be made in space with fewer defects. A process that is in the process of being exploited. Though the rather limited space on the ISS and its imminent decommissioning complicate that a bit. I think the current plan is to launch satellites for commercial production

stickfigure 1y ago

Maybe, but the shipping costs are killer and physics puts a hard minimum on the price. We have plenty of earthbound motivation to solve the "energy too cheap to meter" problem. We're nowhere near that. Adding one more big energy consumer (moving cargo to/from orbit) does not make a material difference.

AtlasBarfed 1y ago
What's your hard minimum on price? Starship is supposed (Musk hype warning!) to be 1/10th to 1/100th the cost. We haven't done skyhooks or launch loops or launch cannons, which are large upfront projects but once built are semi-permanent economic gamechangers.

palmotea 1y ago

> A lot of manufacturing processes are easier without an atmosphere. Also low gravity makes it easy to launch completed product out to space for future space missions I always felt like that was a backwards justification for going to space (we want to go to space, how do we sell it), rather than a real need to that would push people to go to space.

bunderbunder 1y ago

Unless the raw materials are also on the moon, putting the manufacturing equipment on the lunar surface instead of in low Earth orbit might actually make sending it further out more expensive, not less. Because of the Oberth effect.

nothercastle 1y ago
The raw has to be on the moon at least the heavy stuff. Otherwise you are right makes no sense