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The latest venture for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), the agency that provides the Department of Defense with their big guns, is an ambitious one: building a modern Star Trek -style ‘Starship Enterprise’ in outer space. DARPA’s new Hallmark program is the first step toward building a U.S. military base of operations in a galaxy far, far away. The first goal isn’t building the ship itself, but rather developing the technology to survive in the extremely inhospitable environment that is deep space. Earth’s operational space domain is violent and dangerous, with an immeasurable amount of objects and space garbage spinning around at thousands of miles per hour. “The scales and speeds in this extreme environment are difficult enough to grasp conceptually, let alone operationally, as is required for commanders overseeing the nation’s increasingly critical space assets,” DARPA explains.
originally posted by: iTruthSeeker
a reply to: lostbook
You would think that aliens must exist to spend that amount of money on something such as this. Usually there is cause and effect, so I wonder what is causing them to need this? Thanks for the post OP!
iTruthSeeker
originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: lostbook
First of all, they are going to have to design a shipyard in space, big enough to encapsulate the vessel. They could make a start on that by designing a vehicle for launch from Earth, which will slowly make its way around the planet, picking up all the disused satellites, and their batteries, and specifically any nuclear material onboard. The vessel would have to be capable of autonomously stripping down, and repurposing the materials, from the wires and curcuit boards, to the casings and frameworks of these satellites.
As the vessel makes its way around, it would have to be able to also repurpose the collected materials, growing using those materials, until it dwarfs the ISS. Once the process of collecting and repurposing the masses and masses of electronics and raw materials is complete, what you would have is:
a) the largest man made object to ever orbit our planet
b) a clearer near space environment for vessels to operate in, and for shipbuilding to operate in
c) the beginnings of a shipyard in space.
Basically, the shipyard should at least partially build itself out of the crap we left in space already, meaning a more easily navigable near space, and that as little resource as possible has to be launched from Earth. This method would be cost effective too, being much cheaper than launching rocket after rocket of components and materials, then having to launch separate missions to clean up the space ways around the shipyard to render it safe, and make navigation easier for the eventual ships first crews.
originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: lostbook
More a case of reading too much into it. Hallmark is currently developing a real time command and control system for space based operations.
www.darpa.mil...
originally posted by: lostbook
originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: lostbook
I'd be willing to bet that any "intergalactic threat" would be able to wipe out a U.S. space defense system with much ease.
At any rate, it is a cool idea.
Why a budget of only 16Mil? That's chump-change for Space development/infrastructure.....
originally posted by: butcherguy
originally posted by: lostbook
originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: lostbook
I'd be willing to bet that any "intergalactic threat" would be able to wipe out a U.S. space defense system with much ease.
At any rate, it is a cool idea.
Why a budget of only 16Mil? That's chump-change for Space development/infrastructure.....
It is chump change for a movie about the same subject even.
The budget for the new 'Independence Day: Resurgence' movie was $165 Million.
originally posted by: caterpillage
Maybe Obama changed his mind about that Death Star after all.