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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!hao!ames-lm!al
From: al@ames-lm.UUCP (Al Globus)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Intersteller travel via comet
Message-ID: <124@ames-lm.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 24-Jan-84 01:45:52 EST
Article-I.D.: ames-lm.124
Posted: Tue Jan 24 01:45:52 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 19-Jan-84 01:56:27 EST
Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 17

Suppose you had been living in space colonies for a few generations.
Why should you care (too much) whether you happen to be near Earth
or not?  If not, you might want to get some elbow room by leaving
the solar system.  Speed is not a problem except that you might
run out of supplies and/or energy.  Here's where a comet might
come in handy.

Does anyone know the physics of rondevousing (spelling?) a space colony with
an outbound comet?  If it's feasible, one could use the comet
for materials until you get near maximum distance from the sun, then
use up whatever's left of the comet for fuel to blast towards
the nearest star.  Presumably you've established that the star
has a few asteroids or comets to feed off once you get there of course.

Rumour has it there are a lot of comets out there, we should get some
good information on composition from the Halleys fleet, maybe this'll
be our ticket to the stars!