🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Oct30.153103.29953@pixel.kodak.com>, dj@ekcolor.ssd.kodak.com (Dave Jones) writes:
>One day, I'm going to sit down and work out if Asimov's Martian Way really
>would have worked....soft land a chunk of Saturns Rings on Mars, when just
>getting into Earth orbit takes 90% of your starting mass?  Hmmm....... 

Ah, but if you aerobrake to get into a nearly circular orbit and use your
spacefaring iceberg for reaction mass in your descent, then you don't CARE if
you use up 100% of it in soft-landing it.  After all, you've now got it in the
Martion atmosphere, where it would've ended up had you soft-landed 100% of the
mass (unless, of course, you increase the Martian atmospheric pressure
considerably).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.