posted on Oct, 16 2009 @ 02:59 PM
SHOTGUN!
I'm starting to really enjoy your posts Aquarius! Keep up the good work!
There is one pretty big difference between the colonials settling operation, and ours of space.
AIR
when the settler's arrived in america, there were people here already!
With enough wood and some favorable winds, a chipmunk could have made it.
yet vertical destinations limit us significantly.
FUEL
we have to carry enough fuel to lift us and the craft, then we have to carry more fuel to lift that fuel, and fuel for that fuel!
another big problem...
FOOD
the settlers only needed enough food to get here. astronauts have to take theirs, and enough for the stay, and enough to come back (hopefully) which
weighs a lot when talking about months worth just for one way to mars.
and you get back into the fuel to carry that food too!
so 1,500 years worth starts to look a little like, "I'm surprised that's it!".
if all i needed was a plank of wood and something to catch wind, i could bring some fishing line and trick birds into thinking im dead, catch them and
use them for bait, and eat along the way, then i would have been at mars last week!
good article though! S&F