FLEM was spartan. EMPIRE less so.
A proper mission should have the EUS ears Issacman is trying to kill.
Similar to what you see here:
Nuclear thermal designs like Steve Howe and Stan Borowski advocate for are best...but this methalox cult needs putting down first.
I am hoping for a Scott Kelly presidency with war-mongering gashed and NASA budgets doubled--that's my hope. He and Doug Jones as a running mate.
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Energia - it was used to launch the Buran shuttle into Earth orbit for a successful unmanned test flight in 1988.
A long-duration spaceflight outside LEO could well be a death sentence due to radiation. Protecting humans from that adds a lot of mass.
I once talked to an RAF pilot who flew several U-2 missions into what is now Kazakhstan. He mentioned seeing a huge rocket at Baikinour during one flight and the obvious signs of it having blown up in the vicinity of the launch pad when he overflew a week later. This was before Russia revealed the history of the N-1.
Water is a good insulator why not ships with a wall of water in between an outer and inner hull and you could also then increase the water supply onboard by siphoning and cleaning some of that? Protection from radiation since we see that in our own oceans how that protects marine life from solar radiation and such.
Straying into Dunning-Kruger territory there, bud.
At least, read the Wikipedia page.
Effects of ionizing radiation in spaceflight - Wikipedia
For comparison, the exposure from a full imaging CT scan (X-rays) is typically 20 mSv.
The main types of radiation that pose a danger to astronauts on deep space missions include:
- Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs)
High-energy particles originating from outside the solar system, including protons, helium nuclei, and heavier ions. GCRs are a significant concern for deep space missions due to their high energies and ability to penetrate spacecraft and astronaut bodies. - Solar Particle Events (SPEs)
Bursts of radiation emitted by the Sun during solar flares and coronal mass ejections. SPEs can produce high fluxes of protons and other ions that can be hazardous to both astronauts and electronic systems. - Radiation Belts
Particles trapped by the Earth's magnetic field, including electrons, protons, and heavy ions. Trapped radiation is a concern for astronauts in low Earth orbit (LEO) and during transit through the Van Allen Radiation Belts.
Equivalent dose - Wikipedia
The radiation weighting factors for calculating equivalent dose are high for charged nucleic radiation; 2 for protons and charged pions and 20 for alpha particles, fission products, and heavy nuclei.
When you’re talking about shielding against charged atomic nuclei in deep space (cosmic rays, especially heavy ions with high atomic number and energy (HZE)), the physics is somewhat counterintuitive: lighter elements containing hydrogen outperform heavier ones such as lead for the same mass because they produce fewer harmful secondary particles (such as neutrons and fragmentation cascades).
Here’s a comparison table for equal mass shielding (same kg/m² areal density), focusing on how different materials perform:
So while water and water-based shielding is indeed effective, it's not the best.
The best practical choices are:
- Polyethylene
Widely considered the best all-around shielding material as used by the ISS and NASA - Water
Multifunctional (radiation + life support) as you suggested, which helps mitigate wasted payload - Liquid hydrogen (fuel tanks)
Excellent if integrated into design
Although I have a PhD in Physics, I'm years out of date and not an expert in space radiation, so don't take my word for any of this. While one's instincts might be correct, it's not wise to rely on them.
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Maybe but would a water shield work?
I edited my post to add information, together with a caveat. Basically, yes, but polyethylene and LH2 are better. Carbon composites and human waste are other options.
If Starship really does open up the Moon—I want to see truly mammoth launchers spacecraft yards building craft there.
Less gravity—no atmosphere/MaxQ.
Taller towers.
There, counterweights might make sense…with launch vehicles perhaps much wider than tall:
X-Ray vision boost
phys.org
Less gravity—no atmosphere/MaxQ.
Taller towers.
There, counterweights might make sense…with launch vehicles perhaps much wider than tall:
X-Ray vision boost
Advanced mirror technology now powers a breakthrough X-ray telescope
Scientists in Japan have developed a high-resolution X-ray telescope sharp enough to distinguish an object just 3.5 mm wide from one kilometer away, by combining precision mirror-making technology with space astronomy. To test its performance, they built a first-of-its-kind evaluation system...
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i wonder how many colonies and bases there would be on the moon if nasa kept going to the moon since the 70s
Classic Agenda of Spaceflight.
For manned space flight. Brief summary:
1. Initial orbital flights. Leading to winged rocket designs.
2. Space station assembled in Low Earth Orbit. Usually envisioned as spinning dough nut.
3. Spacecraft for Moon Expedition readied at space station.
4. Initial expedition to the Moon.
5. Moon base constructed.
6. Mars expeditionary spacecraft readied at space station.
7. Initial Mars expedition.
8. Mars base constructed.
A few variations have appeared:
1. Gagarin went into orbit. Alan Shepard's Freedom 7, however, was a suborbital flight.
2. We have seen a few space stations, but all have been zero G. As of yet, no spinning dough nuts.
Regarding manned interplanetary flight, there have been studies of fly by missions to Venus and Mars.
For manned space flight. Brief summary:
1. Initial orbital flights. Leading to winged rocket designs.
2. Space station assembled in Low Earth Orbit. Usually envisioned as spinning dough nut.
3. Spacecraft for Moon Expedition readied at space station.
4. Initial expedition to the Moon.
5. Moon base constructed.
6. Mars expeditionary spacecraft readied at space station.
7. Initial Mars expedition.
8. Mars base constructed.
A few variations have appeared:
1. Gagarin went into orbit. Alan Shepard's Freedom 7, however, was a suborbital flight.
2. We have seen a few space stations, but all have been zero G. As of yet, no spinning dough nuts.
Regarding manned interplanetary flight, there have been studies of fly by missions to Venus and Mars.
Pity we can't land the ISS on the Moon and repair it as a base
Do us all a favour and elaborate a bit about the links you're posting, it would help.
I believe I first came across the concept of a microplanes from this novel. The idea has a certain charm to it.
As I recall, Larry Niven used a similar concept in one of his novels.
If the builders should try to make their creation as Earth like as possible, it is one far future possibility that I can relate to.
As I recall, Larry Niven used a similar concept in one of his novels.
If the builders should try to make their creation as Earth like as possible, it is one far future possibility that I can relate to.
I doubt it would be anything like we see in For All Mankind. Helium 3 has been touted as a super fuel for fusion reactors but there are other ways to do it, and so even that's not much of a draw. Water supply is a key limiter and also nitrogen, which the moon has only trace amounts of.
imagine if it was like for all mankind lol then we would have tons of space stations and colonys on the moon on mars and even in outer space
imagine events on the moon and on mars lol like music concerts sports events political conventions etc etc
I don't think we'll ever have much on Mars, but lots of space stations built with lunar materials was a big part of Gerard K O'Neil's vision he summed up on High Frontier. NASA ran with it in their own study which i think his findings influence. There was a nasa published book called something like "Space based settlements" .. wish I could remember. It was a gorgeous book. Unfortunately the findings depended on rapid shuttle flights that never ended up being possible.
For All Mankind, for all its attempts at hard SF, depends on an unrealistic yield from nuclear thermal rockets and a magic plasma drive that doesn't exist
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