Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Majestic_Pitch_1803 t1_jd8k6n4 wrote

Reply to comment by Postnificent in Couldn’t we land on an asteroid that is passing through our solar system and use that as a vessel for interstellar travel? by [deleted]

No, I’m not suggesting you need to keep accelerating. The speed aspect is only one reason you might want to save on the fuel you take, how do you plan on slowing down? If you could somehow mine the asteroid for fuel, this may be a possible solution.

You could also send smaller payloads that all reach the ship more easily and coalesce to fully establish sensory instruments and research stations. Rather than trying to get one heavy ship to a high speed and then somehow slowing it down.

1

Postnificent t1_jd93k29 wrote

So catch up with the asteroid then speed it up? What’s the benefit? Mining it? Now you are describing a space mining venture not a means of transportation. I thought you were trying to use the velocity of the asteroid to travel. The only way to slow down in space is reverse propulsion or impact. Speeding up is rather simple, expell propellant. Your idea is just a mining operation. (We probably already do this, I don’t trust the news anymore than old Mother Hubbard)

1

Majestic_Pitch_1803 t1_jd9lw4n wrote

Protection from space debris, mining as a key point but not the whole point.

Sitting inside the asteroid would surely provide protection from radiation.

Ability to have multiple smaller payloads more easily (due to less weight) meet this required speed to board the asteroid and coalesce to form a much more complex operation once on the asteroid. Meaning even achieving that speed at all is made far easier.

Manufacturing propellant for the departure from the asteroid at the end of the mission.

1

Postnificent t1_jd9nx8d wrote

The only way the asteroid would offer protection from radiation is if it was hollow and made of lead, gold or water. The asteroid itself would likely be radioactive if you were mining space fuel for an interstellar journey. Hiding ships within meteors could have tactical advantages but why not just build the ship to look like a meteor?

1

Majestic_Pitch_1803 t1_jd9opzh wrote

Heavier to launch all that stuff and have it accelerate to such speeds

You have to get rid of radioactive waste sure. But surely that rock is no more radioactive that most other rock

1

Postnificent t1_jd9pod7 wrote

Ships like the ones you are speaking of must be built in orbit, we don’t have the technology to launch them without them coming apart yet.

1