Dale.Amon%CMU-RI-FAS@sri-unix.UUCP (07/24/84)
Geostar will use multiple computers so that a crash or failure of one will not bring down the system. It is part of their planning that the system accessibility will be close to 100%. These are not amateurs. In fact, they probably understand the problem a great deal better than the turkeys who put together the "National Airspace Plan". THe FAA's interim system would not even INCLUDE most GA craft, because not very many of us would be able to afford it. I really hope for some sanity in avionics, such as Geostar may make possible. Flying is rapidly getting out of reach of those who would do it for the love of it. We need cheap aircraft, cheap upkeep, inexpensive avionics, lower taxes on fuel, less regulation, fewer military operations areas and similar travesties (ie are they protecting our airspace or conquering it?) and lower property taxes so that the number of small airfields will cease it's decline. I salute Dr. O'Neill's efforts. I'm quite certain Geostar is much more than a simple profit making venture to him. As someone stated before, SSI does indeed hold a majority of the stock, so benifits will certainly accrue where the money will be efficiently used for space developement R&D. In addition, he is also a GA IFR pilot and understands the problems GA now faces. I would like to note, since I have not seen it much publicized, that Geostar successfully completed it's field testing, has it's designs fairly well in hand, has (or soon will have) the frequencies allocated by the FCC, and has full financial support to build and launch the 3 satellites in the 1987 time frame, probably via shuttle. (Ie capital in the range of $100-250M is available to them) Contacts have stated they expect to be a fortune 500 after the first year of operation. Also of interest, I have been told the SSI R&D program is about a year ahead of schedule. They expect to be ready to have a preliminary exploratory unit sent to the moon around 1992. (Shuttle launch + commercial OTV) I believe it will be a prospecting vehicle of some sort, but I'll have to wait until I hear Morris Hornik talk about it when he speaks at our conference here in October. As you all may know, Mass Driver III, (either 1/3 or 1/2 scale prototype) has been tested out and accelerates 13,000G throught the first 3 coils. Design specs are for 18,000G. The initial design work on this pull only unit were done with a very slow Apple Basic program. They are now switching to a VAX, so the advances should come very quickly now. It's amazing what a few dollars in the hands of totally dedicated unshackled freethinkers can do. It's my guess that the next person on the moon may well be from the private sector. I really wish NASA were developing hardware that picked up where NERVA left off. That's an area that is unlikely to be picked up by private sector any time in the near future, mainly because of regulatory restraints. Even if it costs more to have gov't do it, at least they're harder to sue, and "we need it bad". Do you realize that the late 60's/early 70's Jackass Flats NERVA tests were for an engine with TWICE the specific impulse of the most advanced engine (the SSME) in existance today? So my challenge to all you guys at Ames, etc is, lets start REALLY pushing the envelope! (IE, tell your boss to tell his boss to get off his can and start acting less like a beaureaucrat and more like a space activist, like the young dreamers and romantics who STARTED NASA back in '58) Don't give me a boxcar of paper. Give me an interplanetary rocket engine. Now. If necessary, get your buddies together and give up your evenings and weekends and do it on your own time. Most of us in L5 and Spacepac haven't had a day to ourselves in over a year because of the fight for the space station. We don't expect any less out of anyone else. My attitude about earth is summed up by a favorite cliche of a former room mate. "Let's blow this popsicle stand..."