Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!ucsd!ucbvax!MSU.BITNET!18084TM From: 18084TM@MSU.BITNET (Tommy Mac) Newsgroups: sci.space Subject: Holes,station,vulcan Message-ID: Date: 13 Dec 90 22:58:23 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 75 Hey folks! I just jumped on this listserv (Like it a lot, too), and it looks like I'm getting about a weeks delay in recieving things. I don't know if this is true for the rest of you, so if it seems like I'm out in the dark on some of these topics, that's why: Re; Vulcan. It seems that I remember "Vulcan", as a planet name was first used for the planet that some believed held the same orbit as Earth, but at constant conjunction with Sol (other side). Does this sound familiar? I think they dropped this idea quite a while ago. Re; Black Holes Ray, remember your four forces. Star happen because of gravity defeating the weak force (I think), as do white dwarves and nuetron stars. Black holes happen when gravity defeats the strong force (this is the strongest of the four). The reason they are black is because light doesn't move faster than their escape velocity, so no matter how 'unstable' it might become, it could not explode, if you define exploding as matter being thrown from it. If light doesn't move fast enough to escape, how could matter? The structure of a black hole is totally unknown because we simply can't see it. The best images we have of black holes are based on the assumption that they are compressed by gravity until not even nuetrons hold up to the pressure. This kind of force would certainly create stability, as nothing can move. Although, spinning holes could be another story... Re; Politicians in space. I have no idea what the record or beleifs of "barfin" are, but; Every naut (astro and cosmo) has returned with new impressions of earth, usually focussing on 'oneness' with others, fragility of the biosphere, lack of natioanal borders and other similar visions. Maybe we should send all politicians into space, or have all the arms talks there. Maybe we'd get some long-range policy enacted by this frustrating and petty group. Re; space stations When the polynesians (sp?) left on their sea voyages for the islands of the pacific, they certainly did not plan to return, so they did not build ports. likewise, all the people who have created successful 'deep space' missions did not include a space stations (viking, mariner, galilieo, voyager, etc), for what I think are obvious reasons. The moon mission was a few shot, exploratory/show-off mission, not a trip with long-range planning in mind. I'm quite certain that Magellan and Columbus did not start buying property at every place they landed with the intention of building ports (wasn't cost-effective). However, if we want a permanent place in space, a space "station" is very necessary. Why? -Space in space. GEO is a very popular place (all of you watching Satcom for NASA broadcasts know that). With space stations, the density of GEO vehicles can be increased, allowing greater use of this position - Storage. Currently, the ETs from the Shuttle are dropped into the Indian ocean, at a net payload loss, because of lack of something to do with them in space. A station would allow their storage for future use, as well as the fuel that is left in them after a boost. - Industrial processing. Any industrial processing in space (not glass beads and crystals, I'm talking energy and raw materials) will require a lot of equipment. Put it all in one place, add some docking ports and habitats, and you've got a station. Why not send up the parts we can use now with this end in mind? If you don't want to live or create in space, then why do you read this stuff? - Use of cis-lunar space. Of course, the best place for this kind of station would be on the moon. Does that make it a 'planet-station'? ----Build a PRACTICAL (i.e. designed with long-range goals) space station, and let the space age begin -If God had wanted us to travel in space, he would have given us a large moon full of metal oxides (applies to viewing the corona too) Tommy Mac Acknowledge-To: <18084TM@MSU>