Jim Benson's Space Observations
Jim Benson
Individual, family and company profits make things happen
Governments depend on profits to obtain taxes to fund programs
NASA missions are funded from profits from individuals and companies
On earth, with profits, most things are possible
Space is a place and not a government program
In space, with profits, most things are possible
If we want to go to space to stay, space has to pay
In space, without water, nothing is possible, and with water,
everything is possible
Human use of space requires the same infrastructure as earth:
concentrated portable energy, transportation, communications, water
and private property rights
The value of materials in space is at least equal to the cost of
getting materials into space, and the cost of getting things to space
is based largely on launch costs
Materials in space are generally worth more in space than bringing
them to earth
Water may be the most abundant substance in space
About a fourth of all Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are energetically
easier to get to than the moon or Mars
Twenty percent or more of all NEOs may be dormant comets - space
icebergs
Ice is the white gold of space because water is concentrated portable
energy
The energy to get to earth orbit is about equal to the energy to get
anywhere else in the solar system - earth orbit is halfway to anywhere
(from Robert Heinlein)
Refueling from water is the key to unlocking space to all of humanity
The private sector can do most things more efficiently than
governments
Commercial space companies can perform most space missions less
expensively than governments
Failed government space missions are an embarrassment, failed
commercial missions are a disaster
Private missions are more risk averse, therefore less risky than
government missions
Profitable deep space science missions are good because they can
produce more science per dollar
NASA, ESA, JPL, etc. have never flown a space mission
It is people and not organizations that design, build, test, launch
and operate missions
An inexperienced company with experienced people is a lower risk than
an experienced organization with inexperienced people
Benson's Law: "Deep space missions will decrease in cost by an order
of magnitude each generation" (1997)
My thanks to many people and organizations for some quotes and for the
space education I have received. A partial list includes: Space
Frontier Foundation, Jim Arnold, Gene Shoemaker, Steve Ostro, John
Lewis, ProSpace, Dave Kuck, Paul Coleman, and too many others to
mention. Copyright Jim Benson, 1999. SpaceDev: www.spacedev.com
SpaceDev - NEAP (Near Earth Asteroid Prospector)
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Joseph Michael
J...@SpaceDev.Com "Jim Benson" writes:
> Jim Benson's Space Observations:
>
>Individual, family and company profits make things happen
No - threat of a rolling pin makes guys go out and earn a living
for the bambinos.
>Governments depend on profits to obtain taxes to fund programs
No. Government make up tax policy and take the poor to the cleaners.
>NASA missions are funded from profits from individuals and companies
No they are funded by goats in congress..mhahahah! Take me to your leader!
>On earth, with profits, most things are possible
Except rolling pin avoidance schemes. The mother in law sees to that!
>Space is a place and not a government program
Err..? No its empty vacuum.
>In space, with profits, most things are possible
Except for a bit of argy bargy. For that you need a good woman.
But to separate a good woman from a good rolling pin is
scientifically impossible.
>If we want to go to space to stay, space has to pay
Space is an empty vacuum and it has no intention of paying.
You ask your boss for a rise - that could work.
>In space, without water, nothing is possible, and with water,
>everything is possible
Are u taking the piss?
>Human use of space requires the same infrastructure as earth:
>concentrated portable energy, transportation, communications, water
>and private property rights
You forgot rolling pins.
>The value of materials in space is at least equal to the cost of
>getting materials into space, and the cost of getting things to space
>is based largely on launch costs
...and the price of rolling pins. Too damm cheap if you ask me.
>Materials in space are generally worth more in space than bringing
>them to earth
Thats why the shuttle knows how to fly back down to earth.
Its not expensive enough when its up there so we bring it down again.
>Water may be the most abundant substance in space
No - its full of empty space.
>About a fourth of all Near Earth Objects (NEOs) are energetically
>easier to get to than the moon or Mars
It would have to be otherwise they would be called FEO's (Far Earth Objects)
>Twenty percent or more of all NEOs may be dormant comets - space
>icebergs
Now we can't have that can we? Somebody should wake them up!
>Ice is the white gold of space because water is concentrated portable
>energy
So is Viagra!!!
>The energy to get to earth orbit is about equal to the energy to get
>anywhere else in the solar system - earth orbit is halfway to anywhere
>(from Robert Heinlein)
Hmm..
>Refueling from water is the key to unlocking space to all of humanity
Now that is taking the piss from NASA!
>The private sector can do most things more efficiently than
>governments
That is also taking the PISS out of NASA.
>Commercial space companies can perform most space missions less
>expensively than governments
That is saying NASA to piss off!
>Failed government space missions are an embarrassment, failed
>commercial missions are a disaster
Now you are taking the piss out of everybody!
>Private missions are more risk averse, therefore less risky than
>government missions
Now you are taking the piss out of science - no risk = no science.
>Profitable deep space science missions are good because they can
>produce more science per dollar
Not if you are taking the piss out of NASA.
>NASA, ESA, JPL, etc. have never flown a space mission
That is taking the piss out of yourself.
What is this a piss takers convention?
>It is people and not organizations that design, build, test, launch
>and operate missions
More water abstraction here - but people belong to organisations.
>An inexperienced company with experienced people is a lower risk than
>an experienced organization with inexperienced people
Piss takers law: has never been proven that way yet.
>Benson's Law: "Deep space missions will decrease in cost by an order
>of magnitude each generation" (1997)
Murphy's Law: If it can go wrong - then it will.
>My thanks to many people and organizations for some quotes and for the
>space education I have received. A partial list includes: Space
>Frontier Foundation, Jim Arnold, Gene Shoemaker, Steve Ostro, John
>Lewis, ProSpace, Dave Kuck, Paul Coleman, and too many others to
>mention. Copyright Jim Benson, 1999. SpaceDev: www.spacedev.com
My god man! What exactly is the purpose of all this?
*-------------------| http://www.stellar.demon.co.uk |-------------------*
gba...@my-dejanews.com
Some think the Earth is six feet under.
Some think the Earth has no bounds.
Others see the stars.
-gb
In article <921340...@stellar.demon.co.uk>,
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Mark Reiff
>
> Somewhere there's a rolling pin that should to be a baseball bat.
> Some think the Earth is six feet under.
> Some think the Earth has no bounds.
> Others see the stars.
And yet others reach out for the stars.
But some just type their life away in Internet newsgroups. :
--
Mark Reiff <mark...@earthlink.net>
Visit the Commercial Space Place Forum at
<http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/commercialspaceplace>
"I think we are all trying too hard to push space
versus finding the pulls that attract people and their money."
"The heavens reward great deeds, not excuses."