Posted on 10/12/2006 7:05:01 AM PDT by Fitzcarraldo
Sure glad you folks aren't planning the Mars missions... nice to have opinions, but your wrong about costs, you're wrong about ISS, you're wrong about a lunar base. You're just ... wrong.
In just 12 years, the human race went from being an Earth-bound technology to landing a human on the Moon. Technology has advanced manyfold in the intervening 40 years. We shouldn't need a space station and a lunar base to get to and inhabit Mars.
That's it? If that's all, we'll be wrong all the way to Alpha Centauri.
Too many metaphors, too.
A general question:
Is there some reason these gyroscopes don't use magnetic bearings?
can't even live in peace on Earth but we should spend billions more to put someone on Mars---perhaps we could better spend the funds upgrading our military to protect us here and now--or is the plan for the 'elites' to leave Earth when the real 'shit hits the fan"?
The "Martians" will be a happier lot, better educated with a whole different perspective on life. The Earth needs a lifeboat out there, and IMO it should be Mars, ASAP.
The moment control gyros would be heavy enough to move the ISS in rotation. If they were guidance gyros they would be magnetic suspension.
If and when the happier, better educated "Martian" population grows to become thousands or millions of people after a few generations, surely they will continue to "all get along" forever without any need for armed conflict, because of their different perspective on life.
Or, we Christians can just wait a few years to become citizens of heaven the natural way.
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It just occurs to me that even moment control gyros could have magnetic bearings, which theoretically should not fail. Or am I missing something about the design of these gyros?
Heinlein told us in "Destination Moon" that we shouldn't use normal lubricants in space.
As for the secondary discussion, the meek may well inherit the Earth. Those who are not meek will want to spread out.
You and I both are in agreement that the cost is not the problem. If private enterprise were allowed entry at the table, we would have had colonies out there already.
There's gold in them there empty spaces!
Attitude control gyros or flywheels could indeed have magnetic bearings, which makes bearing noise even more worrisome!
I knew it!
They're probably discharging to the magnetosphere.
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