The 100 Year Starship Project

[grumbler]

I am interested in the NASA/DARPA 100 Year Starship Project http://100yss.org/mission/purpose mostly as a teacher who wants to promote interdisciplinary projects, but thought it might be of interest here.

As a teacher, I look at this as a motivational tool:  for the parents and grandparents of current students, the goal was the race to the moon  http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/MkATdOcdU06X5uNHbmqm1Q.aspx The upcoming generation has nothing like that to inspire them. 

Anyone have any meaningful thoughts on the project?

[fhdz]

I'd not heard about it prior to your mention of it here; it seems very interesting, so I'll do some reading on the site and see if I have some comments after that

[jimmy olsen]

Well, I don't know if my thoughts are meaningful, but I think a 100 year project is just too far out to excite most students. I think that something like Planetary Resources plans to mine near earth asteroids in the next decade might be a better choice to focus on.

[CountDeMoney]

I think that something like Planetary Resources plans to mine near earth asteroids in the next decade might be a better choice to focus on.

[Neil]

I think that something like Planetary Resources plans to mine near earth asteroids in the next decade might be a better choice to focus on.

But not really, since that doesn't help anyone.

Since ramscoops probably don't work, I wonder how we would travel from one system to another.

[jimmy olsen]

I think that something like Planetary Resources plans to mine near earth asteroids in the next decade might be a better choice to focus on.

But not really, since that doesn't help anyone.

How can you argue that tapping the unlimited resources of the asteroid belt wouldn't be economically beneficial?

[Neil]

I think that something like Planetary Resources plans to mine near earth asteroids in the next decade might be a better choice to focus on.

But not really, since that doesn't help anyone.

How can you argue that tapping the unlimited resources of the asteroid belt wouldn't be economically beneficial?

Because there's no return on the investment for the people going out to mine it, and the executives probably won't appreciate their jail terms.

Also, economically beneficial usually doesn't help anyone.  It was economically beneficial to shitcan CdM, but who did that help?

[Jaron]

I feel like the resources, while perhaps abundant, probably aren't unlimited.

[Neil]

I feel like the resources, while perhaps abundant, probably aren't unlimited.

Moreover, the resources that the asteroid belt has aren't the ones we need the most.  Petroleum, natural gas and wood can't be recovered from asteroids.

[Phillip V]

As a teacher, I look at this as a motivational tool:  for the parents and grandparents of current students, the goal was the race to the moon  http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/MkATdOcdU06X5uNHbmqm1Q.aspx The upcoming generation has nothing like that to inspire them. 

Anyone have any meaningful thoughts

Students should be motivated to race inside the limitless recesses of their minds.

That is where ultimate inspiration comes from.

Projects can include exercises in empathy, deferred gratification, and alternate history.

[The Brain]

I can supply natural gas and wood.

[jimmy olsen]

I think that something like Planetary Resources plans to mine near earth asteroids in the next decade might be a better choice to focus on.

But not really, since that doesn't help anyone.

How can you argue that tapping the unlimited resources of the asteroid belt wouldn't be economically beneficial?

Because there's no return on the investment for the people going out to mine it, and the executives probably won't appreciate their jail terms.

Of course they will get a return on their investment, why wouldn't they?

Only governments are barred from claiming property space, not private companies.

[Agelastus]

I think that something like Planetary Resources plans to mine near earth asteroids in the next decade might be a better choice to focus on.

But not really, since that doesn't help anyone.

How can you argue that tapping the unlimited resources of the asteroid belt wouldn't be economically beneficial?

Because there's no return on the investment for the people going out to mine it, and the executives probably won't appreciate their jail terms.

Also, economically beneficial usually doesn't help anyone.  It was economically beneficial to shitcan CdM, but who did that help?

Didn't we go through all this a couple of months ago?

Have you actually read the relevant Treaties (and by that I mean the ones that were actually ratified, not the one that hasn't?)

[Eddie Teach]

Also, economically beneficial usually doesn't help anyone.  It was economically beneficial to shitcan CdM, but who did that help?

Shareholders, clearly.

[PDH]

Jesus, Tim can retard up a thread in one post.