On Sat, 02 Feb 2008 18:44:04 -0800, Erik Max Francis <max@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:
>James Nicoll wrote:
>> In JEP's CoDominium universe, humans develop the model that predicts
>> Alderson tramlines between 2004 and 2008. In 2008, the first starships
>> leave the systems.
>> I can't recall how far out the nearest tramline was but I
>> think it was beyond Saturn.
>> In reality, if someone dumped an FTL drive like that in our
>> laps, one that offers no quick solution to getting around in stellar
>> systems, where the jump point isn't conveniently located, how long do
>> you think it would take before someone got around to sending a probe
>> out to the jump point?
>I suspect it would happen pretty quickly, easily within a decade.
Who do you imagine is capable of sending spacecraft to Saturn within a
decade? NASA couldn't do it, not even with unlimited funding and the
certain knowledge that every NASA employee would be tortured to death
if they failed. Nor ESA, nor the Russians, nor the plucky unstoppable
Chinese what are going to rule the world within a decade. The United
States Air Force would be a long shot, and who else is there?
--
*John Schilling * "Anything worth doing, *
*Member:AIAA,NRA,ACLU,SAS,LP * is worth doing for money" *
*Chief Scientist & General Partner * -13th Rule of Acquisition *
*White Elephant Research, LLC * "There is no substitute *
*John.Schillin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
* for success" *
*661-718-0955 or 661-275-6795 * -58th Rule of Acquisition *
|
