Showing posts with label Earth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Earth. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 01, 2025

Earth To Earth Rocketry + Hyperloop



Elon Musk's Earth to Earth transportation project via SpaceX's Starship is an ambitious concept aimed at revolutionizing long-distance travel on Earth. Here's a breakdown:

Key Features of the Project:

  1. Transportation Model:

    • Starship rockets would launch passengers into suborbital flight.
    • The rocket would travel parallel to the Earth's surface at extreme speeds.
    • It would land on floating platforms near major urban centers.
  2. Travel Times:

    • The system promises remarkably short travel durations.
    • Example: New York to London in approximately 29 minutes.
  3. Cost Efficiency:

    • Musk envisions ticket prices being comparable to an economy-class airline ticket.
    • This accessibility could democratize high-speed global travel.
  4. Technology:

    • Leverages the Starship rocket's reusability and high payload capabilities.
    • Uses vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) technology for efficiency and adaptability.
  5. Infrastructure:

    • Requires floating launch and landing platforms positioned near coastal cities.
    • Infrastructure development would be critical for the system's scalability.

Challenges and Considerations:

  • Safety and Regulation:

    • Ensuring passenger safety in high-speed rocket travel.
    • Navigating international airspace and space regulations.
  • Environmental Impact:

    • Addressing carbon emissions or implementing greener propulsion technologies.
  • Cost Feasibility:

    • Achieving economy-class pricing while covering development and operational costs.
  • Public Acceptance:

    • Overcoming potential passenger hesitancy regarding rocket travel.

If successful, the Earth to Earth system could drastically alter global travel, making intercontinental commutes faster than ever and reshaping the way we think about distance and time.





Earth to Earth Rocket Transportation and Hyperloop: A Perfect Duo for Future Travel

In recent years, technological advancements have redefined the boundaries of human transportation. Elon Musk’s SpaceX Earth to Earth rocket transportation project is one such groundbreaking concept, promising to revolutionize global travel by cutting travel times to under an hour. Imagine flying from New York to London in just 29 minutes. While the idea is futuristic and awe-inspiring, pairing it with another of Musk’s visionary projects, the Hyperloop, could create a seamless transportation network that connects the entire planet.

Here’s why Earth to Earth rocket transportation should go hand in hand with the Hyperloop.


The Case for a Unified System

1. Bridging Gaps Between Speed and Accessibility

The Earth to Earth rocket system offers unparalleled speed for long-distance travel, but accessibility remains a challenge. Rockets will likely land on floating platforms near coastal cities, requiring additional transportation for inland destinations.

This is where the Hyperloop comes in. With its ultra-high-speed pods traveling through vacuum tubes, the Hyperloop could efficiently connect major inland cities to rocket launch pads. Passengers could hop off a rocket and board a Hyperloop pod, seamlessly traveling to their final destination without delays or interruptions.

2. Addressing the Urban Congestion Problem

Major cities worldwide are already grappling with overburdened transportation systems. Integrating Hyperloop networks with rocket transportation can alleviate this pressure by offering a direct, high-speed alternative for intercity travel. For example, a traveler arriving in Los Angeles via rocket could take the Hyperloop to San Francisco in less than an hour, bypassing congested airports and highways.

3. Synergy of Technologies

Both systems share a focus on efficiency, sustainability, and cutting-edge engineering:

  • Earth to Earth Rockets: Leverage reusable rockets and vertical takeoff/landing technology.
  • Hyperloop: Utilizes magnetic levitation and near-vacuum tubes for energy-efficient travel.

Together, these technologies can create a global travel ecosystem that’s not just fast but also environmentally conscious.


Environmental and Economic Benefits

1. Reducing Carbon Footprints

Rocket launches are often criticized for their environmental impact. However, integrating the Hyperloop could reduce the need for short-haul flights, which are some of the most polluting segments of air travel. By combining the strengths of these systems, we can minimize emissions and promote a greener future.

2. Boosting Global Economies

Faster travel means enhanced connectivity between economic hubs. Pairing Earth to Earth rockets with Hyperloop networks would:

  • Open up new trade routes.
  • Enable rapid business travel.
  • Increase tourism by making even the most remote destinations accessible within hours.

Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges

  • Infrastructure Development: Building Hyperloop networks and floating rocket platforms near major cities requires significant investment and coordination.
  • Regulatory Hurdles: International cooperation will be essential to navigate airspace and transportation regulations.
  • Public Adoption: Educating the public about the safety and benefits of these systems will be crucial for widespread acceptance.

Opportunities

  • Job Creation: Large-scale infrastructure projects will generate employment across various sectors.
  • Technological Advancement: Pushing the boundaries of physics and engineering will spur innovation in other industries.
  • Global Unity: A truly interconnected world fosters collaboration and cultural exchange.

A Vision of the Future

Picture this: You leave your home in a small inland city, board a Hyperloop pod, and arrive at a coastal rocket terminal within minutes. From there, you take an Earth to Earth rocket to another continent, where another Hyperloop pod whisks you to your final destination. What once took 12 hours by plane now takes less than two hours in total.

Combining Earth to Earth rocket transportation with the Hyperloop isn’t just a possibility; it’s a necessity for creating a future where speed, accessibility, and sustainability coexist. Together, these technologies can bring the world closer than ever before—not just geographically, but culturally and economically.

The future of travel isn’t just about getting from point A to point B. It’s about creating a seamless, efficient, and sustainable journey. By integrating Earth to Earth rockets with the Hyperloop, we can achieve just that.






Earth to Earth Rocket Transportation: A Better Use Case for SpaceX and Space Tech Startups Than Mars

For years, the prospect of colonizing Mars has dominated the ambitions of space tech companies, with SpaceX leading the charge. While the vision of establishing a human presence on the Red Planet is inspiring, the case for Earth-based applications of rocket technology is far more compelling—and immediate. Among these, Earth to Earth rocket transportation and low-orbit, low-cost satellite internet stand out as transformative technologies with the potential to reshape life on our home planet.

Here’s why Earth to Earth transportation and satellite internet are stronger use cases for space tech than Mars colonization.


The Power of Earth to Earth Rocket Transportation

1. Revolutionizing Global Travel

Earth to Earth rocket transportation promises to shrink the world like never before. Imagine flying from New York to Tokyo in under an hour. This would make intercontinental travel as convenient as a domestic flight, eliminating the barriers of time zones and long-haul flights.

Such a system would:

  • Enable rapid business travel, facilitating global collaboration.
  • Make far-off destinations accessible, boosting tourism and cultural exchange.
  • Redefine supply chains by enabling faster movement of goods.

2. Immediate Market Demand

Unlike the hypothetical market for Mars colonization, Earth to Earth transportation addresses an existing and robust demand for faster, more efficient travel. The global aviation industry—valued at over $800 billion—could be disrupted and enhanced by the introduction of rocket-based travel.

3. Economic Viability

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has claimed that Earth to Earth rocket travel could be priced similarly to economy airline tickets. If achieved, this price point would democratize access to high-speed global travel, creating a massive market and ensuring high utilization of the technology.


The Case for Low-Orbit, Low-Cost Satellite Internet

1. Global Connectivity

SpaceX’s Starlink project has already begun to demonstrate the transformative power of low-orbit satellites for providing high-speed internet. With thousands of satellites in orbit, Starlink can bring connectivity to:

  • Rural and remote areas currently underserved by traditional broadband.
  • Developing countries, bridging the digital divide.
  • Disaster zones, where terrestrial infrastructure is often destroyed.

2. Enabling the Digital Economy

Reliable, high-speed internet is the backbone of the modern economy. By making it universally accessible, low-orbit satellite networks can:

  • Support remote work and education.
  • Accelerate the adoption of digital services in emerging markets.
  • Enhance the capabilities of connected technologies like IoT and autonomous vehicles.

3. A Rapidly Growing Market

The global satellite internet market is projected to reach $53 billion by 2030. With its head start, SpaceX is well-positioned to dominate this space, creating a steady revenue stream to fund further innovation.


Why Mars Falls Short

1. Delayed ROI

While Mars colonization is a bold vision, it’s a long-term endeavor with significant scientific, technological, and financial hurdles. Establishing even a small, self-sustaining colony on Mars could take decades, with no guarantee of economic return.

2. Niche Appeal

Mars colonization appeals primarily to space enthusiasts and futurists. By contrast, Earth to Earth transportation and satellite internet have broad, immediate appeal, addressing needs that affect billions of people.

3. Planetary Priorities

Investing in Earth-based applications of space technology allows us to solve pressing global challenges. From bridging connectivity gaps to reducing travel times, these innovations improve life on Earth while also laying the groundwork for future interplanetary exploration.


A Vision for the Future

By focusing on Earth to Earth rocket transportation and low-cost satellite internet, SpaceX and other space tech startups can achieve transformative change within our lifetime. These technologies have the potential to:

  • Shrink travel times and connect people like never before.
  • Make the internet accessible to every corner of the planet.
  • Generate the revenue needed to fund humanity’s long-term space ambitions, including Mars colonization.

Mars may be humanity’s long-term goal, but the technologies developed for Earth today can make that dream a reality tomorrow. In the meantime, let’s focus on making the most of these innovations here at home.



Monday, November 27, 2017

Towards A Global Government

India has rolled out the biometric ID to almost its entire population. On top of that it has added a layer that works like Jack Ma's Alipay, only Alipay is in the private sector, the Indian version is in the public sector. Voting from the phone should become possible and private. Facial recognition technology minus possible abuse can be harnessed for safety and security. Digital makes business and vehicle registration easy. Solar energy is dropping in price at a dramatic pace and is set to blow open the number one constraint for the Global South's desire for prosperity: energy. When Musk puts over 4,000 satellites into orbit in a few years, you are looking at gigabit internet from every point to every other point on earth. Taking good care of earth will become possible. Much progress seems to be technology driven. But it is the human being that has to be placed at the center of the progress.



A world government has been long overdue. But it will soon become possible, and soon enough become inevitable. The first step might be to create a bicameral legislature in New York. In the lower house each member country has a voting weight in proportion to its population. In the upper house it is in proportion to its GDP. Each member country pays 1% of its GDP in tax. That makes the world government's budget. The President of the World is required to garner a majority in both chambers, limited to two five year terms. Eventually when at least half of humanity has biometric IDs and can vote from mobile phones, the President of the World can be directly elected. Local, state, federal, global -- these would be the four layers of government everywhere on earth, except where the country might be too small, or too homogenous for a federal setup.

The world government is not the UN. It is a new thing, just like the UN was not the League Of Nations. There will be a President Of The World. There will be a global parliament. There will be a World Court. There will be the three branches. All global institutions will be subsumed by the world government.

This century is not the American, or the Chinese, or the Indian, or the Asian, or the African century. This is the global century. All world will become one country. The basic needs of all human beings will be met. Primarily because the Age Of Abundance is right around the corner, much of it technology driven.

Multinational corporations are already global, finance has long been global, but there is not the robust political framework. That robust political framework will also be good for the MNCs, also for global finance.




Saturday, January 09, 2016

In The Tech News (2)

Forget Rocket Fuel: This Spaceplane Will Use Microwave Beams to Reach Orbit
We probably shouldn’t be shocked when a giant column of highly combustible material accelerates to thousands of miles an hour and explodes. ..... Escape Dynamics .. an “external propulsion” spaceplane that separates energy from propellant. Instead of volatile liquid or solid rocket fuel, the craft runs on pressurized hydrogen. A ground antenna array aims a beam of microwaves at a heat exchanger in the plane’s belly, superheats the hydrogen to 2,000 degrees kelvin, and forces it out of an exhaust nozzle to provide enough thrust to reach orbit. ......

Ultimately, they hope to build a reusable single-stage-to-orbit spaceplane that would slash launch costs for small satellite payloads and remove combustion from the equation entirely.

.... In tests, their lab-scale prototype thruster achieved efficiency higher than anything possible using chemical rockets. ..... The idea of external propulsion is by no means new. It was proposed by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky nearly a century ago, and NASA and Caltech have since toyed with the concept. ..... there is growing demand for small payloads. With powerful, miniature sensors and chips, we’re now able to pack quite a bit more tech into much lighter satellites ...... Startups like Planet Labs (the company assembling a constellation of Earth observing satellites) or Google (building out global internet infrastructure) stand to benefit from the cost savings Escape Dynamics would offer if successful...... because a spaceplane glides back to Earth, instead of the hard-to-control freefall of a rocket stage, reusability may prove an easier nut to crack. .... a lot more affordable. .... launch costs are in the ballpark of $25,000 to $50,000 per kilogram. He’s a fan of the alternative approach: “Escape Dynamics is pursuing a radical technology—one I fundamentally think is a good idea—which could massively reduce the costs for small satellite payloads.” ....... Once they start regularly flying payloads, Tseliakhovich estimates costs could eventually fall by two orders of magnitude—perhaps reaching as low as around

$150 per kilogram

. ..... Tseliakhovich hopes his company will begin flight tests of a small-scale thruster in 2017 and launch their first payload to orbit at the turn of the decade. ..... Tseliakhovich believes it will likely work alongside heavy-lifting chemical rockets and is a huge fan of current efforts to improve them by the likes of Elon Musk and SpaceX. ("One of the most remarkable efforts pursued by our civilization today.")






Scientists Connect Brain to a Basic Tablet—Paralyzed Patient Googles With Ease
eye- or head-tracking devices have allowed eye movement to act as an output system to control mouse cursors on computer screens. In some cases, the user could also perform the click function by staring intently at a single spot, known in the field as “dwell time.” .....

In contrast to eye-trackers, neural prostheses directly interface the brain with computers, in essence cutting out the middleman — the sensory organs that we normally use to interact with our environment.

..... had a 100-channel electrode array implanted into the left side of her brain in regions responsible for movement. ...... “This is a first step towards developing a fully-capable brain-controlled communication and computer interface for restoring function for people with paralysis.”
Our Solar System’s 9 Extraterrestrial Oceans in One Surprising Infographic
Not too long ago, we only suspected one ocean of liquid water beyond Earth (on Europa). Now, thanks to robotic explorers, like NASA's Dawn and Cassini missions, we're finding evidence of oceans throughout the solar system. ...... water (especially liquid water) and life go hand in hand ..... life, at least the simplest forms, may survive in more environments than once believed. Indeed, even on Earth, life is ubiquitous, from scalding volcanic vents to frozen wastes. And we may not, as it turns out, need to travel light years to find extraterrestrial oceans or observe our first alien life forms ...... news of even a few nearby alien microbes would expand the number of nooks and crannies life might inhabit throughout the galaxy.




Thursday, July 09, 2015

Space Based Solar Power













I myself am still pretty big on Sahara though. Space might be 10 times more efficient, but it might be 20 times more expensive, at least now. But I will go to space for clean, why not? Space based solar power also has potential for colonizations of the moon and Mars and beyond. It would make large scale 3D printing possible. Ocean covered moons of planets like Jupiter could give water if energy is plentiful. Water and solar and you are that close to growing food.

Space-based solar power
a higher collection rate and a longer collection period due to the lack of a diffusing atmosphere and night time in space
Space-based solar power: the energy of the future?
In space there's no atmosphere, it's never cloudy, and in geosynchronous orbits it's never night: a perfect place for a solar power station to harvest uninterrupted power 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. ..... the concept is scientifically sound. ..... there was nothing wrong with the physics but the real question is the economics ...... With costs as high as $40,000 per kilogram for some space launches, the final price-tag for the first space-based solar power station could be as high as $20 billion. ........ the wars in the Middle East gave new impetus to the space-based solar power as scientific researchers with the military wrestled with the problems of delivering energy to troops in hostile areas. ........ Multiple, and potentially hidden, receivers could tap space-based solar power and relieve the military of the expensive and often dangerous task of supplying troops with generator diesel by either road or air ...... Two proven ways of getting the power to Earth exist in the form of either laser beams or microwaves. ...... laser transmitting satellites would have difficulty beaming power through clouds and rain. ...... The microwave option would have the advantage of uninterrupted transmission through rain, hail or any other atmospheric conditions and could provide gigawatts of power........ as early as 1964, scientists were able to power a helicopter using microwaves. Dr Jaffe said with a large receiving area the energy from the microwaves was so dissipated that it would present no danger to life. ......... as many as 100 launches into space would be required to construct the space stations with costs running into tens of billions. ...... space-based solar energy is like most novel ideas. "It's hard to tell if it's nuts until you've actually tried."
Space-Based Solar Power
Microwave transmitting satellites orbit Earth in geostationary orbit (GEO), about 35,000 km above Earth’s surface. Designs for microwave transmitting satellites are massive, with solar reflectors spanning up to 3 km and weighing over 80,000 metric tons. They would be capable of generating multiple gigawatts of power, enough to power a major U.S. city. ...... The long wavelength of the microwave requires a long antenna, and allows power to be beamed through the Earth’s atmosphere, rain or shine, at safe, low intensity levels hardly stronger than the midday sun. Birds and planes wouldn’t notice much of anything flying across their paths. ........ The estimated cost of launching, assembling and operating a microwave-equipped GEO satellite is in the tens of billions of dollars. It would likely require as many as 40 launches for all necessary materials to reach space. On Earth, the rectenna used for collecting the microwave beam would be anywhere between 3 and 10 km in diameter, a huge area of land, and a challenge to purchase and develop.
What If Giant Space-Based Solar Panels Could Beam Unlimited Power To The Earth?
This idea may sound like science fiction, and at one time it was. ...... Asimov's 1941 story envisions a world where the Earth is powered by a beam of light that draws its energy directly from the sun..... Take New York City, for example, which requires 20 gigawatts of power. ...... The sandwich modules would be about 10 feet long on a side and about 80,000 would be needed. The array of sandwich modules would be about the length of nine football fields, or more than 1/2 a mile long. This is about nine times bigger than the International Space Station...... Back on Earth, the energy-containing radio frequencies from the space-based solar panels would be received by a special antenna known as a "rectenna," which could be as big as six miles in diameter............ the same beam would be able to provide power to Seattle and redirected to provide power to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil...... they could build receivers at remote operating bases and locations where it is logistically difficult and incredible costly to deliver diesel fuel....... the incredible heat of the sun in space
China considering space-based solar power station
Some believe a space-based solar collector could be launched as early as 2020 ..... a satellite that weighs more than 10,000 lbs., dwarfing anything previously placed into orbit, including the International Space Station ...... others place the launch date further out, as far away 2050. ...... "China will build a space station in around 2020, which will open an opportunity to develop space solar power technology" ...... China should begin with an experimental space-based solar power station by 2030, and build a commercially viable space power station by 2050. ....... "An economically viable space power station would be really huge, with the total area of the solar panels reaching five to six square kilometers" ....... Six square kilometers is nearly twice the size of New York's Central Park. ....... The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has proposed its own solar collector to be launched within the next 25 years. ...... "When space solar energy becomes our main energy, people will no longer worry about smog or the greenhouse effect" 
Space solar is a very real option, but it will not happen in time to tackle Climate Change. For that we need to rely on Earth Solar. Let's just use satellites for internet communication.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Space Travel And Showing Skin

Planets of the Solar System
Planets of the Solar System (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Space travel damages skin but makes hair grow FASTER: 'Astromice' study discovers the lesser-known impacts on astronauts
some astronauts experience skin dryness and itching after spending time in space - making them more vulnerable to scratches and irritation...... the astronaut underwent an accelerated skin ageing process in space...... ‘Weightlessness as experienced by astronauts during space flights affects physiological functions of the human organism that has evolved, like other organisms living on Earth, through continuous adaptation to the permanent gravitational field.’ ...... a study on 19 crew members of six Nasa-Mir missions from 1995 to 1998 indicated small skin injuries were the most frequent medical incidents including dryness and itching. ..... several cutaneous physiological changes were recorded after the mission such as coarsening and decreased skin elasticity ....... there might be more detrimental effects than thought on missions into deep space, such as to Mars

I have known this all along. We are not supposed to travel vast distances. We are supposed to take good care of earth. Maybe moon, maybe Mars. But there is nothing much going on either on Moon or Mars. Other than having a backup plan that might be needed a million years from now, I don't see the point. What would it take to recreate Tribeca or Chinatown on the moon or Mars? A lot. You will probably ended up creating a parking lot up there.

There is a reason why everything out there is measured in light years. We are supposed to stay back and measure, use telescopes and things, take in the incoming information if we ever got so curious. We are not supposed to go there. We are supposed to stay put.

I get the impression we experimented on people before we experimented on mice. Beware, time travels faster for the skin out there.

But if this is only about gravity, Mars has gravity. As long as you can survive the journey and make it fast, you should be okay. Right?

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Friday, November 07, 2014

Internet Satellites? Now You Have My Attention, Elon

Mars is esoteric to me. I already know what's on Mars. Earth is way more exciting. Glad to have you back on earth, Elon.



$100 Billion Plan To Save The World
Elon Musk’s Next Mission: Internet Satellites
Elon Musk shook up the automotive and aerospace industries with electric cars and cheap rockets. Now, he’s focused on satellites, looking at ways to make smaller, less-expensive models that can deliver Internet access across the globe ..... launching around 700 satellites, each weighing less than 250 pounds ...... it would cost $1 billion or more ..... hopes to bring the cost of manufacturing smaller models under $1 million