I wonder how many people could fit into a 100-mile-wide asteroid?
2007-09-07 08:51:48 · 13 answers · asked by Bill W 【ツ】 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
After we have put in crews' quarters, etc. we can install engines that could take the asteroid out of orbit and to wherever we want to go.
2007-09-07 08:53:22 · update #1
Interesting idea, but there's some logistical problems. First, we'd have to get there. The closest large asteroids that we know of have eccentric orbits that that may take them near the earth, but then they swing around out past the orbit of Mars. For 100-mile diameter asteroids, you'd probably have to go out past Mars to find them. Then, there's the problem of hollowing it out, fitting engines (you'd need enormous engines to accelerate something that massive move faster than a crawl), making it life-sustainable. Once you got all those details taken care of, though, you could have essentially a traveling city. Makes a good SF story, but for now, not much beyond that.
2007-09-07 09:03:55 · answer #1 · answered by chasm81 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A couple of return questions, perhaps these will give realization of why we haven't, and likely won't:
1.) How far away is the asteroid-belt?
2.) How geologically sound is any asteroid likely to be?
3.) How does one land on an object of that size and flight-characteristics?
4.) What equipment would be needed to make the drilling possible?
5.) How long would the drilling take in that environment?
6.) What would be needed to make the interior habbitable?
7.) What would it take to control the flight of an object of that mass?
There are a ton of questions relevant to the issue, but I am sure you can see that every answer shows how impractical it would be to do so. These are things you should have thought-on when the question came to you.
2007-09-07 16:39:11 · answer #2 · answered by Stephen H 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
As mentioned, this is a serious sci-fi proposal which may well be used in the future. It's given an airing in Kim Stanley Robinson's three Mars novels. A good read in my opinion.
No one's suggesting it can be done now. It may happen in the future that automated robotic landers will be able to land on an asteroid and mine it for fuel and build engines. It can then be directed to wherever is convenient. There's a lot of conversation in this, but it's basically a good thought.
2007-09-07 18:32:53 · answer #3 · answered by Choose a bloody best answer. It's not hard. 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The concept is not new -- this has been conceived before, and SciFi stories written about this very thing. In fact, the same idea was used in an episode of the original "Star Trek" ("For the world is hollow, and I have touched the sky", Season 3, originally broadcast Nov 8, 1968).
The problem is that we've never sent any humans as far as the asteroid belt, nor the machinery necessary to build that spacecraft. That's far in the future. but someday, maybe not in our lifetimes, but someday . . .
2007-09-07 16:09:43 · answer #4 · answered by Dave_Stark 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Asteroids don't go anywhere. They simply orbit the sun. So you suggest we put engines on it so we can go where we want. Asteroids are heavy. Wouldn't it be simpler to use a lighter spaceship which would require smaller engines and less fuel and do the same thing?
2007-09-07 15:58:01 · answer #5 · answered by Flyboy 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Improbable but not impossible. It is much better to have a space ship that is less massive yet structurally strong. When space travel like air travel is so cheap and safe that an average person can afford it, this may become a reality.
For now I don't see any practical use for an asteroid space ship!
2007-09-07 16:43:18 · answer #6 · answered by arinc_429 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
well for 1 we don't have any asteroids close to us to get 1 we would have to have a manned flight to the asteroid belt at Jupiter and get one bring it back and install engines on it then drill tunnels in it in space it would be more effective to build a ship at a space station then launch it it takes very little energy to travel in space all the fuel the shuttle uses is just to break free of earths gravity
2007-09-07 16:01:42 · answer #7 · answered by heat_3636 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Wow i always thought about that. That's a great idea i mean we could have it mechanically fixed for 1000s to fit in and go on a very large trip
bad news is the fuel
2007-09-07 16:19:56 · answer #8 · answered by Jake 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not a completely stupid idea.
Complications: Getting to the asteroid.
Fueling the rocket engines.
Digging out the 'tunnels'. (perhaps we could do that alla "Operation Plowshare"... with nuclear bombs?)
Detroit would LOVE the contract to convert Ford plants into rocket engine plants. you will need a lot of them.
My only real question:
Why? Where do you want to go?
(okay, that's two questions)
2007-09-07 17:39:37 · answer #9 · answered by Faesson 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It would actually cost less to build a spaceship equivalent in size here, with the right safety precautions, pressures, and oxygen, than to ship all the drills and equipment necessary to make one out of an asteroid. And by less, I mean significantly less, billions of dollars worth.
2007-09-07 15:56:37 · answer #10 · answered by Jon G 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋