(Eminent scientist) Elon Musk sees hope for humans - on Mars

[bananas]

http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/203450-spacex-ceo-elon-musk-drops-more-hints-rockets.htm

August 02, 2011
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Drops More Hints about Rockets, Ultimate Mission to Mars

By Doug Mohney, Contri

<snip>

“We want to take significant amounts of cargo and people to Mars,” Musk said. “Are we on a path to become a multi-planet species or not? If not, that’s not a very bright future. We’ll be hanging out on Earth until some calamity claims us.”

<snip>

Only 0.3 percent of the cost of a Falcon 9 launch is propellant. Being able to fully reuse all the parts of the launch system could significantly drive down the cost of launches.

<snip>

In response to questions from the audience, Musk said SpaceX has a general architecture planned out for Mars trips and “know what the ingredients are.” The company’s Falcon Heavy rocket, to be flight demonstrated in late 2012 or early 2013, could deliver 10 to 15 metric tons to Mars, but Musk wants a vehicle capable of 50 metric tons and fully reusable. If Falcon Heavy could be made fully reusable, costs to LEO could be low as $50 to $100 a pound.

<snip>

Two technology areas Musk didn’t like were lifting bodies/wings and nuclear rockets. On the former, he said he was a “vertical takeoff, vertical landing” type guy and eschewed wings since they had to be tailored for each planet’s atmosphere and were useless on airless bodies such as the Moon.

Drawbacks to nuclear power included the need for shielding (heavy), water (heavy), and public objections against launching nuclear fuel on a rocket. “It’s a tricky thing getting a reactor up there with a ton of uranium,” Musk said and went on to say while nuclear power would be useful for Mars or lunar operations, he implied that some assembly (i.e., mining and processing fuel off planet) would be required.

<snip>

edit to add: posting this partially in response to http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x305811#305893
but also to show that fuel costs are a tiny part of launch costs,
for those concerned about how rising energy costs might affect space exploration.

[greenman3610]

1. "eminent scientist"?

Musk has done a lot of good things, but he's not an eminent scientist. He's a co-founder of PayPal.

[bananas]

2. He's an eminent rocket scientist, among other things.

edit to add:
As I indicated in the OP, this was partly a response to the thread "(Eminent scientist) Frank Fenner sees no hope for humans".

[txlibdem]

3. There is no question

If we remain a single-planet species then we are doomed to extinction.

I just don't want profit motive to be the driving force behind our colonizing other planets. If we continue in our "money is the only goal" ways then I hope we DO go extinct. The galaxy will be a better place without American style Capitalism running rampant everywhere. It's best that it die here and now.

[bananas]

4. It isn't profit motive driving Musk, Bigelow, and the others. nt

[txlibdem]

5. Exactly my point

Capitalism turns every nation into an Evil Empire. That sickness cannot be allowed to spread.