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-   -   From Astronauts to Astro-Noughts (https://www.pprune.org/space-flight-operations/641776-astronauts-astro-noughts.html)

Dorf 27th Jul 2021 15:19

Really, what is the purpose of sending humans to the Moon or Mars? Yes it's cool and undoubtedly a wonderful experience for the participants, but really? It's many times more efficient to send machines to do the science and find out what's up there. Well, you say we need to take the first steps to become a multi planet species, because Earth will eventually become unlivable. Maybe, but at $10K/pound just to lift something into Earth orbit, colonization of other planets won't be happening until we can figure out something better than chemical rockets. How many will raise their hand to go live on Mars or the Moon permanently?

There's a big race on between two billionaires to get back to the Moon, driven solely by ego. They'll get there eventually. What exactly will those astronauts do besides high 5 each other, take some pretty pictures, and confirm it's the same grey dirt and rocks as 50 years ago?

TURIN 28th Jul 2021 00:06

Dorf, may I politely suggest you do some research on reusable spacecraft, in particular SpaceX Starship and the Blue Origin New Glenn.
Also, the cost of sending items to LEO. In particular the relative costs of traditional and wasteful launchers such as ULA or Ariane, then compare that to SpaceX Falcon 9, reusable boosters that can and have been used ten times.

Dorf 28th Jul 2021 16:06


Originally Posted by TURIN (Post 11085918)
Dorf, may I politely suggest you do some research on reusable spacecraft, in particular SpaceX Starship and the Blue Origin New Glenn.
Also, the cost of sending items to LEO. In particular the relative costs of traditional and wasteful launchers such as ULA or Ariane, then compare that to SpaceX Falcon 9, reusable boosters that can and have been used ten times.

Ok then, $5K/pound. My question remains, what do they do when they get there that robots can't do 10X more efficiently?

TURIN 28th Jul 2021 19:38


Originally Posted by Dorf (Post 11086300)
Ok then, $5K/pound. My question remains, what do they do when they get there that robots can't do 10X more efficiently?

Survive an extinction level event on Earth?


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