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Old 2012-04-24, 14:21   Link #3
Ithekro
Gamilas Falls
 
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Republic of California
Age: 46
Pretty much any atomic element found here can be found in a asteroid, since this planet is made from the same material. The amount will be less, but with prices as they are, if even a small amount can be found, it will at least pay for the trip.

A larger find pays for the startup.

More large finds are profit.


There is another part to this that they only mentioned in passing. Such a enterprise needs a support system, preferably in orbit. The materials brought back need proccessing. The communications relays need servicing. And if you use live humans for any of this, plus the Orion missions that should be heading out around the same time....you need relief services in orbit that are as or more comfortable than the International Space Station. Thus you need maintenance people, service people, and workers....if you don't do everything robotically.

Thus you need more space stations and people to operate them. Then you need a service to get employees up to these stations for a tour of duty. Then you need a place for them to relax that is "cheaper" than bringing them home every weekend and sending them back up on Monday. Then you need people to operate the relaxation station. At which point, if the scale is worth it, and the tourism industry expands....you get Space Station Five (from the film 2001) operated by a joint effort of Google and Hilton.
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