A group for everyone who admires Space ships. From small fighters up to huge capital ships. Basically everything witch flies through space and has been created by intelligent lifeforms counts.
Found this while looking for pics of a full VASIMR engine. To me it looks like this ship could be built, and would solve a few problems, within a year or two. Place the water tanks between hat hatches to the lander, and the back of the crew compartment for radiation protection, while the hydrogen fuel tanks would also serve as radiation protection against cosmic rays and other kinds of radiation. The V200 engines should be ready in 1-2 years, and those nuclear reactors on the arms I think also exist. And lastly: That lander would simply have to be built. I wouldn't be surprised of a prototype is standing around somewhere.
Which leads me to one question:
Space Agencies and Companies: Y U NO BUILD this?
Because it cost money and money is rather given to military, oil sheiks and banks. Because bloodbath is simpler solution to decrease number of people, than sending them to new cities on Moon, or Mars.
That's not what you wanted to hear, is it...
I heard something about that engine and I think it will work well if we finally start to explore near space.
That's probably it for the Space Agency-part of the Question, but not for the private space companies.
I don't think private agency can fund a way to Mars. Maybe they can make smaller version for Moon. But what would they gain from it? They can't establish a city, or mining station by itself and cooperations are fragile. So where is the profit?
There are trillions, if not quadrillions of dollars worth of material just lying around. Helium 3, Gold, Platinum, Copper, Aluminium, Iron...Water. All the ressources needed to build a colony, just laying all over the surface of the Moon, and on Mars too. Hell, Mars is red because it's covered in Iron oxides (rust). SpaceX was funded with the goal to send Humans to Mars. The plan is to launch an unmanned Red Dragon capsule in 2018, also a Rover to the Moon by 2015 or 2016.
I know why Mars is red, but still, you need to refine those ores. So you need some "not exactly small" machines to bring with you. If it was worth it, they would sure work on it harder.
I am still convinced that it would be wonderful to start, but it's too much for private companies. Maybe once some government make a city on Moon/Mars and then it is time for private sector to ensure cargo and personal transportation.
Governments likely won't be going to Mars anytime soon on their own. Private companies like SpaceX are.
Ok, so let's say they will build small ship and it will be able to transport 5 people to Mars. But that doesn't bring us much closer to space expansion, does it? They can spend few hours on surface and then return...
A few hours? Hardly. They'll be on Mars for over a year before they can return to Earth. Or just don't return to Earth.
you're right about being able to this in 2-3 years but it's going to be hard to launch it like normal space shuttles,unless it's built in space and for that we're going to need some sort of space construction yard,which would delay the launch by at least 2-3 years.
Launch it in 4-5 parts. Engine compartment, crew compartment, lander, and 2 launches each launching 4 fuel tanks. 4-5 Falcon Heavy launches should do.
I see US, Brazil, Canada, Russia, China, EU flags there.
i think it would be a perfect idea to make a construction yard in space. not only would you be able to make this ship, it would reduce our waste and fuel consumption. as well as save our atmosphere from damage, well...as much damage, as we would still have to ship materials. but a moon colony would be amazing, because you could ship materials from the moon to the shipyard. it would also open the doorway to large capital ships, to travel to other solar systems and planets.
If the human race eliminated wars, dark ages,greed (capitalistic system), corruption, genocide, and other negative characteristics of our race,we could have been to the stars centuries ago. But then that's asking too much of the human race to act intelligently.
Former USMC squad leader in a rifle company.