This is a huge step forward. It is hopefully going to commoditize space research and exploration, especially up to the Jupiter system where enough sunlight exists to power satellites.
This is fantastic news! Hopefully this means that the price of taking things to orbit will fall rapidly (relative to what governments could achieve, at least), allowing all kinds of new developments that couldn't otherwise have happened.
That really is exciting, and I agree with your assessment of their ability to deliver. Maybe we’ll really see some developing industry in space in the next few decades... amazing. Even if it’s just vacuum industry, welding and such, it could open the way for solar power collection in space, light-sail probes, more advanced telescopes, and down the road, asteroid mining.
We've reached some amazing heights since then - the flyby of Pluto, intercepting 67P/C-G - but I have to agree. It might not be the biggest step up - but it sure seems like the biggest step forwards.
Government space missions are limited by taxpayer interest/funding, and the high cost of access to space has mostly limited commercial interest to things like communication and surveying satellites. I'm really looking forward to what new opportunities open up in both spaces when we can do so much more for the same cost.
Yep that's great I'm all for that. Just wondering if there are any practical applications that they hope to one day achieve, or is it more like sending a satellite into space without any idea what's out there, just hoping to find some cool stuff.
Agreed, this is the best project in a while that might not necessarily produce amazing scientific results (I think theres a lot more projects on earth that will reveal more about the universe, namely the LHC), however this will potentially change how everyone sees space science again.
I mean this has the potential to bring funding to space agencies like landing on the moon did. This could finally bring the money into the space agencies that they can do both science and manned missions, not one or the other.
IMO all the knowledge of the universe is useless if humanity is never going to get out of our dirt wallow and explore it. Not to mention, avoiding the whole cataclysmic failure of our planet will be a plus.
I'm very happy about the fact that this is inevitable. The first nation to build it will have an order of magnitude if not more of an advantage when it comes to space travel costs.
Not being stuck at the bottom of a deep well is going to be a game changer.
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