X-Message-Number: 18896
From: 
Date: Sat, 6 Apr 2002 10:52:25 EST
Subject: never laugh at live asteroids, Bilbo

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>Oh, my! 877 years! Do you think we'll figure out space travel by then? Gosh!

  We "figured out space travel" in 1965 when the NERVA nuclear engines were 
tested for hours at a time out in the desert. Not only is a NERVA engine more 
efficient than a chemical engine, it can use practically anything for 
reaction mass. So NERVA spacecraft could run for years on water from the 
ex-comets that are now Apollo-Amor asteroids, carbon dioxide from Mars, or 
whatever. Unfortunately we haven't figured out how to limit government enough 
so that private companies can actually own nuclear engines, asteroids, other 
space property, etc. And that could easily take 877 years. Don't invest in 
any coastal property till then....

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