🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <296@v7fs1.UUCP> mvp@v7fs1.UUCP (Mike Van Pelt) writes:
>Both of these countries could become the super-OPEC of the 21'st century.
>One of them is the Soviet Union. The other is South Africa.
>We *really* need access to the asteriods, which have plenty of platinum-
>group metals.

With cheap fusion, should be no problem to get there.  Strap a couple of
ion thrusters to a mass driver, program it to clamp itself onto a suitable
asteroid, and start throwing rocks.  Sounds like a great idea for a startup
company and it just may be the impetus the space program needs to make all
our Star Trek dreams come true.  People at NASA keep griping about needing
industrial applications for space.  Hell, it might even be possible to 
build colonies on Ganymede - with cheap power, you could melt gigantic
underground caverns in solid rock with glass sides capable of pressurization.
And why even bother with planets at all, just build free-flying self-contained
colonies in solar orbit.  Turn Earth into a big nature preserve - no humans
allowed without a permit and a guide.  Giant leap for mankind indeed.  Let's
get out of this womb and see what's really out there.
-- 
Jim Benz 		     jcbst3@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu     If a modem 
University of Pittsburgh					 answers,
UCIR			     (412) 648-5930			 hang up!