From: alizard@pil
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Subject: Re: Space, the final frontier
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 92 02:06:14 PST

Re: Re: Space, the final frontier
 
> From: ksm@abb-sc.abb-sc.com (Ashley)
> Newsgroups: alt.pagan
> Subject: Re: Space, the final frontier
> Summary: Harsh realities, new questions.
> Date: 29 Dec 92 21:35:28 GMT
> McDonald-Douglas. I discussed all the various space tech plans here with him 
> (brought a lot of print-outs so I wouldn't mis-quote anyone) and then he 
> refered me to some folks at McDonal-Douglas. After talking with several 
> space engineers and physiscists there, I arranged one last interview with 
> someone at Rockwell International who specializes in railgun tech.
> Needless to say, I learned a lot.
> The ideas of mining asteroids, industry in space and railguns 
> as a cheap way to get there nearly got me laughed out of every office I 
> theories espoused here are full of holes and are basic flights of fancy. 
> The one of the engineers from  McD-D said "Tell those fools to go back to 
Given that the main product of McDonnell-Douglas are military aircraft and
rocket engines, these people have a lot to lose if their company was suddenly
to experience competition from private enterprise large scale space launch
systems not rooted in the culture of spectacular waste that comprises our
miltary-industrial complex. Did McDonnell-Douglas sell the infamous $4500
toilet seat? Don't know... but if it wasn't them, it was a rather similar
competitor... though I think the $10 markup on a 10 cent diode is a lot
funnier. 

If these alleged rocket scientists have NUMBERS that demostrate that scaling
railguns up to the 1 metric ton range with output velocities in the 5
mi/second range are impossible, if they can demonstrate that scaling laser
technology up to the power ranges (10E9 joule) range for laser catapults, or
they can prove that beamed power in the GWatt range is impossible, I'm
prepared to listen. With respect if it make sense. If such proof is
impossible, let's see demostrations that other technology required for
space industrialization is physically impossible. 

As it stands, it sounds like you know a lot of traditional aerospace people
who would like a change to continue to work in traditional aerospace
environments at our expense. Which isn't going to happen, regardless of what
happens with space industralization. Did you contact Aerojet-General on
replacing the rocket engine as well? (main product- solid fuel  rocket
engines last I heard) Did you try to get an objective opinion on paganism from
Pat Robetson as well? 

Sounds like you got told what the companies in the rocket business want the
public to know. McDonnell Douglas has no vested interest in making the rocket
obsolete. Actually, none of the aerospace companies do. Why don't you get some
of your friends to post on this? If they have something substantive and not
self-serving to say, I'd like to hear it.

                                                 A.Lizard
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