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From: al@aurora.UUCP (Al Globus)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Money to burn
Message-ID: <350@aurora.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-May-85 14:35:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: aurora.350
Posted: Wed May 29 14:35:39 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Jun-85 12:16:05 EDT
References: <1925@mordor.UUCP>
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 50

> 
> Assume for a moment that we were not in bugetary hard times and could
> afford an attack of conspicuous consumption. Could a reasonable interstellar
> one-way unmanned probe mission be designed which would give some legitimate
> science data in addition to the usual ego stuff. 

The British Interplanetary society has designed such a craft, unfortunately,
I can't remember what the called it.

> Because of the constraints
> it will be important keep things simple. The parameters?
> 
> 	1. Assume only near term technology and assets. For example, no
> space station. You are allowed two shuttle payloads if necessary - doing
> it in one gets bonus points.
> 
Might as well use the Space Station.  It'll make the job easier and you
won't get anything near ready to launch before its available.

> 	2. Must be ready to launch within 5 years.

Not a prayer.  Almost nothing gets launched within 5 years of conception, 
even very
straightforward build-another-one-just-like-the-last one spacecraft.  The
only exception to this, I believe, are some communication satellites.

> 
> 	3. Assume a target star 20 light years away.
> 
> 	4. Intial data must be received from target star system within 100
> years. An interesting question is what collection strategy to use. You could
> adopt a cometary orbit or try to look for planetary body etc. Minimum
> requirement is a fly-through at less then .05C mean. Remember that your
> communications lines have a 40 year turnaround. May be allowed a 10%
> extension on time limit given a high grade justification.
> 
> 	5. Maximum cost will be 1 billion in current dollars. It may be
> competing in Congress with a submarine base in Arizona so the cheaper
> the better.

No chance whatsoever.  The shuttle launches will cost you $140 million alone,
and most of your cost will be engineering salaries for design and construction
at $60 - 100 an hour.

> 
> 	6. Worship the KISS principle. This thing has to go a long way on
> it own.
> 

Don't forget a lot of redundancy.