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alternative5 t1_j1gaeqe wrote

Imagine if we werent at our throats 24/7 on this planet and we cooperated in our efforts to become a space fairing civilization(I know most Western societies do but I was referring to great powers). Fuck it would cool seeing every country contribute to a massive orbital platform larger than the ISS and a massive moonbase designed to launch mission throughout the solar system. SpaceX launches happenings all over the globe to send up resources and people depending on what the optimal launch profile was at the time and a sharing of resources for optimal manufacturing and management of global and extraterrestrial security. I guess competition is good in racing to establish bases on the moon but man would I prefer cooperation.

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DagerNexus t1_j1h0w95 wrote

A skyhook/space elevator would probably be more viable since most of the expense is just escaping the Earth’s gravitational pull.

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alternative5 t1_j1h11vb wrote

What about a mass driver? Seems like a Mass driver could be optimal if we were a united planet so we could have a launch platform at every optimal position on the planet.

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saltywalrusprkl t1_j1h82kc wrote

  1. Mass drivers only really work for light payloads and still need a chemical rocket to get it most of the way because of the atmosphere
  2. There is only one optimal launch point on the earth; the equator.
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alternative5 t1_j1h9ive wrote

Wouldnt the orbital hook still require propulsion systems to remain in orbit and yeah a line of Mass Drivers ringing the planet along the equator set up by all global powers was my thinking. This so there is always an optimal launch profile to hit the moon or any established orbit sought.

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saltywalrusprkl t1_j1h9ls1 wrote

You’re definitely never getting a direct transfer to the moon using mass drivers. You just need one that can rotate to adjust its inclination, launch payloads into orbit and then perform a TLI burn to get to the moon.

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alternative5 t1_j1h9u98 wrote

Yeah, but this would be for efficiency memes. Less fuel to burn in getting to orbit would mean greater payloads. Thats what I thought the benefit of mass drivers would be.

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saltywalrusprkl t1_j1hc1o4 wrote

It is, but you don’t need the mass driver at a specific point on the equator to gain launch efficiency bonuses

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BlackHunt t1_j1is8hd wrote

I get your point, but if war or infighting never existed it's also very possible humanity would be technologically way less advanced then we currently are.

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alternative5 t1_j1iv646 wrote

I see your point, there have been a considerable amount of human advancement born through conflict.

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