|
|
The main obstacle keeping the human race from colonizing the Solar System is the first 100 miles.
During the Apollo missions, overcoming Earth's gravity during the first three minutes of launch consumed more energy and fuel than the entire rest of the mission combined. Even today it costs over $10,000 per pound to send a payload into Low Earth Orbit. Getting into space faster, cheaper, and more efficiently is one of the main goals of most orbital tech now being researched.
| AEROSPIKE ROCKETS | An innovative rocket design that's been on NASA's shelves for decades. |
| ROCKET PLANES | Beyond the X-15. |
| SSTOs | Single Stage To Orbit vehicles. |
| SCRAMJETS | Screaming to orbit on a hypersonic jet. |
| DROPSHIPS | Getting from orbit to the ground--fast! |
| LIGHTCRAFT | Riding into space on a megawatt laser beam. |
| SPACE TETHERS | Spinning lengths of super-strong wire dozens of miles long. |
| PLASMA ROCKETS | Rocket exhaust as hot as stars. |
| SPACE FOUNTAIN | Space stations suspended by millions of hypersonic bullets. |
| SPACE ELEVATOR | A 40,000 mile long vertical railroad track right into space. |
| Home | Site News | FAQ | Tech Levels | Contact | Links |
| Space | Ocean | Air | Land | Biotech | Medicine |
| Warfare | Power | Materials | Nanotech | Quantum | Misc. |