Delta V isn't the only metric. Trip times and frequency of launch windows are also a consideration. The moon has 3 days trip times and from a given low earth orbit, launch windows are every two weeks.
The Planetary Resources people are correctly calling *water* the most valuable space resource. Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. And less expensive space transportation is a prerequisite for mining asteroidal metals.
Another advantage the moon has is 3 second light lag. Most of the time a typical NEA will have a light lag of tens of minutes. Luna's closeness makes high bandwidth doable, LRO achieved 100 megabytes per second. These are important advantages if the mining is done by telerobots.
I am hoping the volatiles in the lunar cold traps will eventually ping on Planetary Resources' radar.
They're not talking about a Chixculub sized asteroid, nor a Tunguska sized asteroid. 7 meter asteroids hit Earth every year and burn up in the upper atmosphere.
Once you have an unlimited fuel depot in orbit around the moon though you can do some really neat things. Manned craft only have to get to LEO, and can be met with the rest of the fuel they need to go anywhere in the Solar system. Things like habitat modules could be lifted to LEO, where they're met by robot rockets that can move them into whatever place we want them. Not having to launch with all the fuel, water and air for the whole trip opens up everything. Maybe some robotic gardens or something could be arranged as well. That would be really cool.
Yes,
Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. That is why Planetary Resources is calling water the most valuable space resource. Not iron, nickel, gold or platinum group metals. But water.
I've been thinking about Ceres. That one is entirely covered in ice (more water than all the Earth's oceans).
Delta V from low earth orbit to Ceres is about 10 km/s. So, unlike Near Earth Asteroids, Ceres has no delta V advantage over the moon. As you've already mentioned, there seem to be substantial ice deposits at the lunar poles.
Once you have an unlimited fuel depot in orbit around the moon though you can do some really neat things. Manned craft only have to get to LEO, and can be met with the rest of the fuel they need to go anywhere in the Solar system. Things like habitat modules could be lifted to LEO, where they're met by robot rockets that can move them into whatever place we want them. Not having to launch with all the fuel, water and air for the whole trip opens up everything. Maybe some robotic gardens or something could be arranged as well. That would be really cool.
Yes,
Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. That is why Planetary Resources is calling water the most valuable space resource. Not iron, nickel, gold or platinum group metals. But water. You seem to be one of the few people on this forum who understands this.
I've been thinking about Ceres. That one is entirely covered in ice (more water than all the Earth's oceans).
Delta V from low earth orbit to Ceres is about 10 km/s. So, unlike Near Earth Asteroids, Ceres has no delta V advantage over the moon. As you've already mentioned, there seem to be substantial ice deposits at the lunar poles.
Delta V isn't the only metric. Trip times and frequency of launch windows are also a consideration. The moon has 3 days trip times and from a given low earth orbit, launch windows are every two weeks.
The Planetary Resources people are correctly calling *water* the most valuable space resource. Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. And less expensive space transportation is a prerequisite for mining asteroidal metals.
And there is thought to be large deposits of water ice at the lunar poles.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/Mini-RF/multimedia/feature_ice_like_deposits.html
Another advantage the moon has is 3 second light lag. It's closeness makes high bandwidth doable, LRO achieved 100 megabytes per second. These are important advantages if the mining is done by telerobots.
I am hoping the volatiles in the lunar cold traps will eventually ping on Planetary Resources' radar.
They're not talking about a Chixculub sized asteroid. Nor even a tunguska sized object. 7 meter rocks hit the earth every year and burn up in the upper atmosphere.
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Delta V isn't the only metric. Trip times and frequency of launch windows are also a consideration. The moon has 3 days trip times and from a given low earth orbit, launch windows are every two weeks.
The Planetary Resources people are correctly calling *water* the most valuable space resource. Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. And less expensive space transportation is a prerequisite for mining asteroidal metals.
And there is thought to be large deposits of water ice at the lunar poles.
Another advantage the moon has is 3 second light lag. Most of the time a typical NEA will have a light lag of tens of minutes. Luna's closeness makes high bandwidth doable, LRO achieved 100 megabytes per second. These are important advantages if the mining is done by telerobots.
I am hoping the volatiles in the lunar cold traps will eventually ping on Planetary Resources' radar.
They're not talking about a Chixculub sized asteroid, nor a Tunguska sized asteroid. 7 meter asteroids hit Earth every year and burn up in the upper atmosphere.
Once you have an unlimited fuel depot in orbit around the moon though you can do some really neat things. Manned craft only have to get to LEO, and can be met with the rest of the fuel they need to go anywhere in the Solar system. Things like habitat modules could be lifted to LEO, where they're met by robot rockets that can move them into whatever place we want them. Not having to launch with all the fuel, water and air for the whole trip opens up everything. Maybe some robotic gardens or something could be arranged as well. That would be really cool.
Yes,
Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. That is why Planetary Resources is calling water the most valuable space resource. Not iron, nickel, gold or platinum group metals. But water.
I've been thinking about Ceres. That one is entirely covered in ice (more water than all the Earth's oceans).
Delta V from low earth orbit to Ceres is about 10 km/s. So, unlike Near Earth Asteroids, Ceres has no delta V advantage over the moon. As you've already mentioned, there seem to be substantial ice deposits at the lunar poles.
Once you have an unlimited fuel depot in orbit around the moon though you can do some really neat things. Manned craft only have to get to LEO, and can be met with the rest of the fuel they need to go anywhere in the Solar system. Things like habitat modules could be lifted to LEO, where they're met by robot rockets that can move them into whatever place we want them. Not having to launch with all the fuel, water and air for the whole trip opens up everything. Maybe some robotic gardens or something could be arranged as well. That would be really cool.
Yes,
Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. That is why Planetary Resources is calling water the most valuable space resource. Not iron, nickel, gold or platinum group metals. But water. You seem to be one of the few people on this forum who understands this.
I've been thinking about Ceres. That one is entirely covered in ice (more water than all the Earth's oceans).
Delta V from low earth orbit to Ceres is about 10 km/s. So, unlike Near Earth Asteroids, Ceres has no delta V advantage over the moon. As you've already mentioned, there seem to be substantial ice deposits at the lunar poles.
Planetary Resources' first goal is water. And the moon has water. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/Mini-RF/multimedia/feature_ice_like_deposits.html
Delta V isn't the only metric. Trip times and frequency of launch windows are also a consideration. The moon has 3 days trip times and from a given low earth orbit, launch windows are every two weeks. The Planetary Resources people are correctly calling *water* the most valuable space resource. Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. And less expensive space transportation is a prerequisite for mining asteroidal metals. And there is thought to be large deposits of water ice at the lunar poles. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/Mini-RF/multimedia/feature_ice_like_deposits.html Another advantage the moon has is 3 second light lag. It's closeness makes high bandwidth doable, LRO achieved 100 megabytes per second. These are important advantages if the mining is done by telerobots. I am hoping the volatiles in the lunar cold traps will eventually ping on Planetary Resources' radar.
They're not talking about a Chixculub sized asteroid. Nor even a tunguska sized object. 7 meter rocks hit the earth every year and burn up in the upper atmosphere.