/sci/ - Science & Math

Would it be viable to construct a space-elevator type structure between two planets tidally locked to each other at, say, 700,000km mean separation? Or would tidal forces tear it up?

>>3860248
>Launch rocket with ~40 mining robots, ~6 larger construction robots, a bunch of part molds for things like robot chassis, tools, wheels and a small LFTR
>Launch another rocket filled with enough fine electronics like circuit-boards and visual sensors for 500 robots. Small foldable electromagnetic mass driver. Also plasma gasification unit for vaporizing asteroid rock into constituent elements, with a small centrifuge to separate elements from each other.

- Both deposit payload on ~1 mile diameter asteroid, stuff begins firing up. LFTR and PGU establish themselves in a crater, start connecting to each other and mass driver.
- Robots just chip away at asteroid rock and float around the asteroid slowly via wheels and small canisters of compressed gas, which can be replenished from the gas extracted from asteroid rock
- Robots dump rock into chute of PGU, PGU uses arcs of electricity to vaporize everything into an elemental gas, centrifuge apart, and use asteroid itself as a radiator.
- Stockpile elements required to build more parts for robots, use part molds to make 95% of the robot. Use shipped-from-Earth circuit-boards and stuff to complete. More workers!
- Mine away at the asteroid gradually with primitive AI and occasional human control. Asteroid should begin firing some mass in order to make its orbit closer and more regular to Earth's during this time.
- Fire precious metals and elements with a rough cast-iron/nickel 'heat shield' (read: disposable) and small enough so it doesn't make a huge crater when it lands.
- Small jets affixed to sides of payload to Earth, fired via mass driver, on approach it adjusts its course to land in a designated impact area, like a wide desert.
- Collect and resale.

>>3827187
>Why be worried about it? If they're on your side, who cares?
Why would they be on your side when they have the power to obliterate your entire country? Consider the possibility of a military gone rogue.

>>3735345
>what are you thoughts on governing bodies in space. Would colonies ultimately become independent and maybe revolt against Earth's government(s) just as the European colonies all did?

Absolutely. Some examples of this are rednecks complaining about how people on The Hill not living 'round these parts and knowin' all our problems and sipping caviar martinis. Well, just that people that grow up on these large colonies/cities will feel far removed from the places of governance and will naturally want to establish themselves as a state or union of colonies.

>What country would support such an inevitable and foreseeable succession?
Countries/governments have remarkably little power over some things. For instance, I fully believe space is going to be the next Gold Rush x 1,000,000 and as such those same meddling corporate interests will keep the government from meddling in any way. Of course, there will be some corporations that may be negatively affected by say, the Ceresian colony declaring they're no longer a mining outpost. But others will also be exacerbating the conflicts, either for material gain or just FUCK YEAH SPACE

>>3735367
Even if you do, that's okay. I have thought up a dozen potentially world-changing inventions that might work.

>>3653051
Don't worry, I know you aren't. But i'm quite surprised someone on /sci/ hasn't started shitposting digging through other sites going LOL LOOK INURDAES DID SOMETHING A BIT DUMB

I'm fine if anyone does that, it makes for an interesting read.

>>3550163

Only the Falcon 9 Heavy and the potential for a Falcon XX, and the Bigelow BA modules. I've heard they want to set up a lunar hotel.

It's just the beginning.

>>3073405

>If you strike at the simple agrarian colonists of Gliese 581g just trying to terraform themselves a livable biosphere, then the posthuman intelligences living in orbital colonies around 581f are going to royally fuck you up.

In the future everyone will be a bro :3

Or else 3:<