Shorter Starship?

 

A shorter Starship may not be a SpaceX idea. All the same, I like the idea. I even speculated on such a proposition myself.

 

So here's a video that discusses it, but with a lot of added filler at the beginning. I skipped that, and got to the point.

 

 

 

 

It is best to acknowledge your errors. Only then can you move forward.

10/21/25:

 

Yep. Got out of those mistakes. Not learning to code anymore. That was quick, huh? The problem was GitHub. A little digging uncovered a fact that triggered a "a hah!" moment. The damned thing seems to be geared towards Microsoft. You may be able to use it with Linux, but I had a lot of trouble. So that's when I started digging and found out that it might go a lot easier if you used a Microsoft product to interface with GitHub--that idea was a non-starter. Then, a little more digging finds that Microsoft owns GitHub--ah hah!

 

While digging around, I found this video. It may give me some leads on how to do it myself. That is, if I want to actually follow through and learn to code another way.

 

That was one of the mistakes. The other was the scooter. I gave it away. So on to the video.

 

 

10/5/25:

 

It is also good to make the most of your mistakes. For example, if the purchases I made were in error, the error may be minimized through getting the most out of what I've already committed to, or get out of the situation.

 

To get out of the scooter, I could get rid out it. This will incur a loss. Maybe I want to keep using it until I figure out if I want to get rid of it. Likewise, with the programming course that I purchased. I'll keep using it until I figure out if I want to stop or not.

 

It may turn out to not be a mistake after all. That's why it is a speculative post, and is posted here.

 

Here's one way to get the most out of the Python course:

 

 

9/28/25:

 

Just took a look at the course that I'm on. I was under a false impression, because I didn't look closely enough. This course is pretty comprehensive. There's a lot of stuff that can be learned here.

 

It might well be useful for getting a job in the real world. But it would require a commitment in time. This will take a substantial amount of time. Now the kicker here is whether or not I can complete the course. In terms of ability, at this time, I feel good enough to do it. The risk is that I may not feel as good along the way as I do now.

 

9/27/25: Buying that scooter awhile back may have been a mistake. It seems that I've been making some mistakes like this in recent times. Another example was to buy Rick Beato's music course. That was definitely a mistake too. Now I've gone and done it again, maybe.

I bought an AI-directed computer programming course. The sales pitch asked why would you do this, and I responded "for fun". After doing some of the exercises, I'm finding it not as much fun as I thought. Indeed, if it was primarily for fun, then it was a mistake. But rarely do I do anything for fun. Fun has its consequences. If this really was for fun, and not some other reason ( in which case, another reason could be to make money), then maybe that will have to be the reason going forward.

After thinking about that one, the effort at making a living at programming didn't work out too well before. Why would it work now? I didn't think this through very well, and it may be a mistake. If it is indeed a mistake, then at least I can get a refund. But wait! I'm just wondering maybe I COULD make money this time. This could pay-off. Maybe. Kinda sorta.

That'll be the day. Even if the demand exists for this kind of skill, there may be other issues involved. I don't want to punch a time clock, or go into an office. I'd prefer to work right here. That was presented as a possibility, but are such possibilites really feasible? It has to play out in order to see.

So it is a matter of sticking with it and see what develops from it. I know from before that programming is very time-consuming, and it really isn't fun. It is work. There's a saying these days---learn to code. I learned this skill before, but it has been so long that I have to almost start over. But not from scratch. It should go easier, but I'm no spring chicken.

I could use a little extra spending money... Blogging isn't going to pay, either. Nor do I wish it to. But I've got this land in West Texas that is just sitting there. Another mistake. Maybe.

Do you need a $30k trailer?

 

This video challenges that notion. Looks interesting.

 

 

Coding on Raspberry Pi

10/7/25:

Interesting. It may be hard to understand the narrator, because he is obviously not a native English speaker. Anyway, Thonny is on my Raspberry Pi machine, so the example he gives is easy to follow. It may be a bit embarrassing at first, because it seems TOO easy. But it has been 20 plus years since I coded anything at all. I'm pretty rusty. Not to worry, it's coming along fine.

10/6/25:

 

Can you ride your motor scooter, Billy Boy, Billy Boy

10/4/25:

 

The scooter didn't come with mirrors. For a nominal cost extra, it now has them. It's a little more reassuring to be able to see if there's a car coming in behind you. This scooter may have a problem with hills. If not that, then it seems to have some other problem because it quits sometimes. That's rather annoying. It could be a long walk home if that thing quits on me in the middle of town.

 

7/12/25:

 

Making the ramp now. It's almost ready to be tested. If that test works, then I can get the scooter outside and try it out. I tried it inside a bit. Everything seems to be working, and I'm nearly ready to ROCK n' ROLL!

 

But do I ever get tired easy. Maybe if I am lucky, I can rebuild myself while I'm doing this. This is embarrassing.

 

By the way, did I mention that I found the missing bolt? However, the other wire basket between the seat and the handlebars, and is actually large enough to carry some cargo, is IN THE WAY. So, I had to take it off. The seat feels okay for now, but I'm not bouncing up and down on a bumpy road yet. We'll see.

 

7/11/25:

 

The scooter came, I saw, but it did not conquer me. Not yet, anyway. There was some assembly required--for the scooter, that is. The cursed thing arrived late afternoon. I got the bright idea to take it out of the box while outside in the sun. By the time I got it out of the box, I knew I was in for a battle.

 

I fought this thing for the rest of the day, and retired for the evening in a very tired state. In theory, the assembly should have been easy. Among the issues were that the handle bars "quick disconnect" mechanism would not go on properly. Fortunately, this feature is not necessary. The status of the assembly was mostly finished by bedtime. But I was still in the fight.

 

First thing this morning, the battle raged on. The parts of this scooter have a very annoying tendency to want to fall to the floor. I have a strong tendency not to want to bend over and pick things up off the friggin' floor all the time. So I battled this thing for another hour before finishing up the assembly. That is, what I could do of it. A part went missing when it hit the floor. I spent another hour looking for it with no luck.

 

The original idea was to build it outside because I wanted to store it in the van. But it is too hot to store it outside, says the manual. So I have to keep it in-friggin'-side. So that is the current state of this adventure. The question being, how to I store this thing inside, and move it outside where it can be useful when I want it to be? I will build a ramp. There's some stairs to traverse in order to get it back down to ground level.

 

More assembly required. I'm getting too old for this shit.

 

7/10/25:

 

Amazon and UPS needs to get their heads wired up to their asses. They are giving conflicting information. It's not a problem so far. We'll see.

 

7/9/25:

 

The scooter is still on its way. Not due for a couple more days.

 

I tested the battery by using it to power the weed eater. The weed eater pulls about 700-800 watts estimated. It will drain a battery of this type in a relatively short time. It will run a dehumidifier for 3 hours continuous if it is in as good a shape as last year. It has seen little use since I stopped that experiment. Now there's this experiment.

 

There's always something, said Rose Ann Rosanna Dana.

 

7/8/25:

 

The repairs are complete, but there may be some tweaking ahead. Still in testing phase, but it appears to be working as intended.

 

Still waiting on the scooter to arrive.

 

7/7/25:

 

The solar panel system has been acting up. When I moved the trailer recently, I may have pulled a wire loose. I forgot to unplug everything, and while pulling the trailer, I notice something was being dragged along behind me. Oopsie.

 

It's been a slog to figure out what got messed up. It's charging the battery again, so that's good. I want the switches to shut it off and on to work, but these aren't cooperating at the moment. No biggie. I'll figure it out.

 

7/5/25:

 

Awaiting my moto scooter, and it is no ring-tail tooter. (Ref: Slick Willy Update of the Rush Limbaugh show dating back to 1992's election campaign ) Getting my stuff ready, as preparations are needed.

 

The following video is a little closer to the update version, but it isn't quite there. I can't find it on YouTube.

 

 

 

 

07/03/2025:

 

Got an idea about buying a mobility scooter. The one that would seem most handy would cost over $3k, and can be obtained on Amazon.

 

It is electric, and would have a 30 mile range, or so it says.

 

Having experimented with an electric scooter before, the range would seem be inflated. It all depends upon battery capacity. This one has a 48 V, 20 AH electrical setup. That's about 1 Kwh. If it is anything like autos, it may get 4 miles.

 

Even so, it would be sufficient for ample mobility.

 

The price is high, but not beyond me. What about a golf cart?

 

07/04/2025:

 

Here's what I did: I got an electric scooter. It is pretty much the same thing I had before, so it won't cost much, and it can't do all that much, but it can do a few things ( I hope ).

 

Back in 2003, I bought one for $150. It is now $450 on Amazon. Now that is what I call "progress". Free delivery! Like wow, man.

 

I'll use my solar panels to provide electricity for charging the thing. Maybe this idea will actually work. Most of my ideas don't work worth a sheet, main.

 

 

How small can you make a nuclear weapon?

 

YouTube video by Curious Droid

Comment:

He mentions the objections that would arise if such were actually proposed for use in spacecraft propulsion. The advantages would be in increasing ISP, which determines the amount of propellant mass needed. A nuclear device may have an ISP hundreds of times greater than the best chemical engines.

There was a proposal to do atomic propulsion back in the fifties, but the idea is moot since it is outlawed by international treaty.

Nevertheless, it is an intriguing idea, which forms the basis of the Jumbo sized Aldrin Cycler. You could transport a massive structure out there using atomic propulsion. Once out there in its orbit around Mars and Earth, it could be used to transport lots of people and cargo to the Red Planet.

Continuation of the Aldrin Cycler series of posts

8/28/25:

Not too much more to say on this, but I'm still playing around with the numbers.  You may be able to transport a much smaller number of people, and with great protection.  How many people?  I'm thinking at least 3k per trip. 

How do you get 1 million on Mars, then?  You'd have to find another way.  It will likely take longer than 20 years.  I think that is pretty much baked into the cake.

If you do it Elon Musk's way, you're going to get a lot of dead people.  That's why I ran this thought experiment.  There's no protection on the Starship.  No artificial gravity.  Those folks are going to be in rough shape when they get there.  That's assuming that they make it.

8/26/25, 10:10 AM:

Began on the other blog, but should've been here. Just one thing to mention is that denser materials give better radiation protection, but there doesn't appear to be much literature available about HOW much better. Generally speaking, lead is preferred. But lead doesn't have the structural strength you'd like, and it is toxic. That's all for now.

3:30 PM:

I haven't run the numbers, but lead might need less mass in order to shield half the energy of gamma rays as opposed to iron.

This gave me an idea.  It turns out that you can synthesize gold, which would be a better shield than lead.  If the same pattern held, then less gold mass would be needed than lead, as less lead mass is needed than iron.

If you synthesized the gold, you could plate it on the outside of the iron, which would be needed for structural strength.  The synthesized gold would be radioactive, though.  What form of radioactivity would need to be determined.  For example, does it emit, alpha, beta, or gamma radiation?  That would be important in terms of shielding.  Gold may decay to normal gold eventually, and could be harvested.

At the moment, this is just an idea.

A Mars Colonization Strategy

 

Count me as a skeptic of Elon Musk's plans to colonize Mars. However, his Starship could be used as part of a system that I will present here. The proposed system will consist of several elements. These elements could be lifted into space on an economical basis by Musk's Starship. The Starship will be best used for such projects, as it is not suitable for long term space habitation. The Starship could be used for lifting large amounts of cargo from Earth for a reasonable cost. That is its most advantageous use.

For getting to Mars, an Aldrin Cycler could be employed to transit the distance. The cycler system will consist of two parts. One part will transit between Earth and Mars, and the other part will make the return transit. Since the Delta-V budget for accessing the cyclers will be large, the Starship could be used for the transit between the respective planets and their respective cyclers.

 

The cyclers will be able to hold massive amounts of cargo and people. Consequently, it must be very large so as to be able to handle this function. The Starships could be employed to lift all the components necessary for its construction. Since these cyclers will be very massive, there will need to be a very strong propulsive kick to get them into proper position in their cycler orbits. How to do this?

 

Once the cyclers are constructed, I suggest an Orion nuclear propulsion tug that will push the cyclers into their appropriate orbits between the respective planets. The Orion will have the advantage of giving large mass the necessary Delta-V in order to perform their tasks.

 

There is little doubt that the Orion concept can work. It isn't new, as the ideas have been tested with conventional explosives. The last testing will have to take place in space. Once all the requirements are met, and the technology has been developed, the Orion can do the job. Once in place, the cyclers will need only small amounts of fuel for course corrections, and can serve for many years.

At the Mars end, JP Aerospace's technology could come into play. JP Aerospace is developing an Airship to Orbit concept. Such a concept would be much easier and more elegant on Mars. The Delta-V to Orbit for the Airship on Mars would be much reduced, and there's little doubt that it could be feasible on Mars. His ships could land on top of Olympus Mons. Olympus Mons could be jumping off spot to transit to any place on the Martian surface, while using his Airships.

 

Large amounts of Cargo and people could be transited in this manner, and that would be all of the transportation needed. The rest of the tech needed could be transited via a Starship to Cyclers system. Thus, all of the machines and people could be tranported this way, and the Mars colony could beome a reality.

 

What about the long transit times? The cyclers could be optimized for that. The Orion propulsion system could provide the necessary thrust to get large objects into position. A conventional fuel system would be too cumbersome. The use of atomic bombs as propulsion would yield ISP's of nearly a million. Therefore, the Orion propulsion method could simplify the logistics of moving large stations into an Aldrin Cycler orbit between the planets.

 

The cyclers themselves could be rotated, which could give artifical gravity to its traveler guests. It could be shielded from cosmic radiation so that the travelers wouldn't be harmed during their long transit times. They will arrive at Mars in optimal physical condition.

Of course, Mars could be configured to be safe for human habitation as well. What will be needed is a transport system to move the necessary mass into place. The machines could do the rest.

 

Who would do this? Elon Musk? He wants to use Starships, but those are only a small part of a viable system. His current plan is too risky. It is incomplete. It is not likely that simply economy of scale can still achieve everything that needs to be done.

 

But it could be a good start.

 

Asking LEO AI about the space station as Aldrin cycler:

 

Could you produce a graphic of a large space station which rotates in order to give artificial gravity to its inhabitants?

 

 

LEO's Answer: 

I apologize, but as an AI language model, I do not have the capability to generate or produce images. My primary function is to process and respond to text-based inputs. If you would like to create a graphic of a rotating space station that provides artificial gravity, I would suggest using a graphic design tool or software, or commissioning an artist to create the image for you.

 

However, I can provide a textual description of what such a rotating space station might look like:

 

The space station would be a large, cylindrical structure, spinning around a central axis to generate artificial gravity through centrifugal force. The cylinder would be large enough to accommodate living quarters, research facilities, and other necessary infrastructure for the inhabitants.

 

The exterior of the station would likely be made of a durable, lightweight material, such as aluminum or composite materials, to minimize the weight and maximize the efficiency of the rotation. The interior of the cylinder would be divided into different sections, with living quarters, recreational areas, and research labs arranged around the circumference.

 

The rotation of the station would create a gravitational force that would be felt by the inhabitants, simulating the effects of gravity on Earth. This would allow the inhabitants to live and work in a more Earth-like environment, reducing the negative health effects associated with long-term exposure to microgravity.

 

The station might also feature windows or viewports along the outer walls, allowing the inhabitants to observe the Earth, the Moon, and other celestial bodies as the station rotates. This could provide a unique and awe-inspiring perspective on the universe.

 

Overall, the rotating space station would be a remarkable engineering feat, providing a sustainable and comfortable living environment for its inhabitants in the vastness of space.

 

Never mind, this will do! 

 

Rock 'n Roll done rocked and rolled

7/24/25:

 

Just for grins, even though the scooter didn't need a charge, it got one anyway. For comparison purposes, the fully charged battery clocks in at 41.7 volts. Before the solar powered charge, it was under 34 volts. It works on 36 volts, btw.

 

The indicator on the display showed 20% discharge, but it's probably more than that. Distance so far is about 2 miles. Not as impressive as it appeared to be at first. The display is not going to be much use, I'm afraid.

 

7/23/25:

 

Rain was in the forecast yesterday, so no go on a trip. Today, I ran it around the place a bit. Still worried more about ME than the machine. This may take awhile to get in enough shape to really try it out like I want to. Cut it short because of fatigue.

 

7/20/25:

 

The scooter is now prepared for a real trip, but I am not... I want to practice with it some more, but I woke up with a sore foot. I will take it easy today, and hopefully the foot will stop bothering me.

 

I'm not as sure about its range as I should be. The last thing I want is for this thing to run out of juice before I get back. I may have decided to get an e-bike instead. It would've cost more, but I would have the option to use muscle power to get back to the comforts of home. Water under the bridge, as it is said.

 

7/18/25:

 

Things get disorganized around here sometimes. Focus gets lost, and things get started and not finished. Well, not this time. I re-read the manual, and I'm getting more familiar with the controls. Therefore, there's something to report. Most likely, I haven't used 20% of the battery, as earlier indicated. The readings "bounced" back up. It's a 36 volt set up, and there's a reading that shows 38.4 volts. My guess is that this is another way to read a discharged state.

 

The trip odometer reverts to zero on every new trip. There's a history odometer too. But you have to jump through a few hoops to find it. It doesn't show but 1 mile. I know I've done more, but since it doesn't show tenths of a mile, it could be close to 2.0 miles. Once it exceeds that, it will show 2 miles and no more. Still practicing with it. Until I feel a bit more confident with it, the trips will be short.

 

7/15/25; 1:47 PM:

 

Yesterday was rainy, so I stayed inside. Today is sunny and dry, so it was time for further tests. I made some adjustments to my ramp and to the scooter, and gave it another whirl.

 

This trip was longer. A total of 1.4 miles. It still has a good charge on it, according to the indicator. Very impressive. My adjustment made the speedometer too hard to see. Therefore, there's no speed to report. Seems like I got another comment from the locals. We met at an intersection at the same time, and he said, "go ahead, Bart". I got a kick out that, so I went on ahead.

 

It looks like it has discharged about 20% over about 2 miles on that last full charge. It may extrapolate out to 10 miles on a charge, which is a lot better than anticipated. It's already beyond my expectations as is.

 

7:38 PM; continued:

 

Some more adjustments were on tap, and now these are done. More adjustments to the ramp, but these are not yet done.

 

There's a chance I take her out for another spin tomorrow.

 

7/13/25:

 

That was so much fun I forgot to post about it. The ramp was completed, and off into the breeze did I go with my new scooter. I got a compliment on it as I breezed on by one house.

The seat may be hard on my achy breaky butt, but I may be able to tolerate it. I'm getting a little worried about a spill. I have enough trouble standing up. If I fall down, I may not be able to get back up. That would not be good.

Don't have any safety equipment. Shoot, I used to ride a bicycle all over the danged place, and never wore a helmet, but I did wear clothes.

These days, they may give you some shit about anything you do. Besides, it's probably good safety practice to have a helmet and guards for the elbows and knees.

The thing says it will go over 15 mph. That's faster than the electric scooter I had in the fairly recent past. When I rode that thing in Houston, there was a lady who went out of her way to laugh at me. I don't give a hoop. If I did, would I have bought another one of these things. I'm worried about other things.

Focus Fusion video

 

7/18/25:

 

There's another report out, and they're still making progress. It's a slow slog through all the problems and difficulties. If it was easy, anybody could do it.

 

Investing is easy, even a caveman can do it. Doesn't cost much, and the rewards could be revolutionary. It's a good way to put your money where your mouth is, if you believe in climate change. Even if you don't, as I most certainly DO NOT, it is still a good investment play. This thing will be worth some serious money if they're successful. Maybe the so-called greenie folks have something against making money.

I own a share.  It split so I really own two.  See, I made money already.

 

6/29/25:

Crazy idea has a certain charm to it

7/17/25:

 

My hometown is Houston, and there's an inland port that goes all the way into downtown. Or it once did. Back around the time the Panama Canal opened, the Houston Ship Channel was dredged out to within a few miles of downtown.

I recall seeing an old picture of a ship at dock in downtown Houston, with visible landmarks like the Harris County Courthouse in evidence. The pic I recall was about the time the Canal opened. If you go down to Allen's Landing, you can see where the ships tied up. It looks really different down there.

 

The Ship Channel is one of those interesting ideas that is somewhat like the outback sea idea. How so? You could use tides and such to keep it filled, and to replenish the water a bit so that it won't get so alkaline.

The idea is to dredge a very large pool, in which the tides can overflow, but can only channel back out through a narrow opening. In this way, large amounts of water can be impounded behind a type of dam that can be overflowed during high tide, and re-emerge during low tides, with the water rushing out through the channel.

 

Fresh water can be captured in dams as well in order to provide additional flushing. This is kind of the way the Houston Ship Channel Works. Houston is 50 feet above sea level. How do you get ships up stream, except some way to impound a lot of water to keep them afloat?

The outback sea will require a lot more water than the Houston Ship Channel. You would definitely need a LOT.

 

There are flood control dams in Houston. It rains a lot in Houston, and so I am to understand, does the Australian northern shores. Rainfall will help provide water, but there may need to be much, much more to make a really large lake so far inland.

 

7/15/25:

There's at least a couple videos like this one on the subject of the inland sea down under. Now they've got me thinking about it!

 

What if you could use the natural tidal action and siphoning effect to move massive amounts of water for long distances?

Here's the other video:

Interesting concept to use nuclear pulse propulsion

It was studied for many years, and then abandoned after the adoption of the nuclear test ban treaty in 1963.

 

The idea is discussed in the following video.

Not all of the technical challenges could be overcome at that time. The sticking point seemed to be with the pusher plate. There wasn't any way to model it, so that it could be developed. In order to do the tests, real nuclear bombs would have to be used. Such a testing procedure was deemed to be infeasible. After the treaty, it became illegal.

 

A question: What if it were to be developed in deep space? It couldn't do much harm way out there. If such could be developed successfully, would it not be better to send large numbers of people to another planet, like Mars, using a few bombs? Such a system could be used instead of the Starship. Indeed, the Starship could be used to send up the large amount of mass needed to construct such an ark, and send it on its way.

Ingenious Construction Tech

 

Focus Fusion Update

Disclosure:  I own (1) share. 

Aneutronic fusion would be a game-changer.

Quote:

Imagine the world in which power is cheap, pollution is gone and people are enjoying affordable housing, locally produced foods, and cheap healthcare. With fusion energy, everything can change for the better – in a heartbeat.

A 2-cycle ICE hybrid

5/27/25:

 

You could make them out of superwood! 80% lighter than steel, and moldable into shapes fitting for an automobile, superwood could make the cars that much more efficient.

 

5/25/25:

 

The engine described on the main blog may be useful in several ways. It is a powerful engine in a small package. Therefore, it would not need a massive frame to hold it. It could be optimized to make just enough power to keep the batteries charged in a hybrid engine.

 

The engine in the video was about half a liter, with a power output of 200 hp. You could get away with a much smaller engine. Let's say 1/2 the size and output. That would mean a 250 cc engine with 100 hp. That 100 hp engine could power a generator, which in turn, would power an electric engine.

You wouldn't have to run it all the time. Just long enough to charge the batteries. With the new batteries coming out soon, you wouldn't need much weight on them either. They could also be charged an indefinite number of times, since they would actually operate more like a capacitor than a battery.

The engine would be quite versatile, since it could run on a variety of fuels. The ones mentioned in the video include hydrogen. Perhaps it could run on ammonia? In that case, if ammonia could be synthesized economically, it could replace carbon based fuels. Not that I would think that important, but some people believe in the global warming theory.

Anyway, I would speculate that a super efficient ICE hybrid may be feasible in the near future. Question is, will it ever be built?

Potentially revolutionary propulsion system.

 

Seems like I've heard about this design before somewhere. Once you acquire enough speed, the sky is the limit. Imagine a single stage to orbit aircraft that can take off from a runway. It would be air breathing, which could remove the need to carry oxygen. Oxygen could represent the lion's share of the mass needed to get to orbit.

Venus Aerospace Completes Historic U.S. Hypersonic Engine Flight Test https://t.co/ev3zNEcllQ --- Uses a rotating detonation ramjet engine concept. It is claimed to be scalable. Goal is to produce aircraft that can sustain Mach 4. Doesn't require rocket engine boosts.

— BootsandOil (@BootsandO6892) May 20, 2025

JP Aerospace tests their home-made submarine

 

The video below was published just prior to a test of the sub...

... and afterwards a post on the blog about it. Not many details, but those may be forthcoming.

Installation of Fedora Linux distro

5/16/25, 6:34 PM::

 

I'm going to suspend this for awhile. Reason being that there's not good enough reason to add yet another distro to the collection. If Mint craps out again, maybe...

 

Just added a restore version on Mint, so if it does crap out, then at least I can try a restore option. Didn't have that the first go round.

 

2:39 PM:

 

Note to self: Installing Fedora via Live Environment installation disk will not work. Insufficient disk space. Well, duh.

 

So I had to do a real install of Mint, which is always an adventure. As of this writing, Mint is now re-installed. What happened to the first install?

 

Just say it got discombobulated and there was no backup or restore capabilitity. So I did without it for awhile until now, when I decided I might need it again. Trouble is, I forgot how I got the thing installed the first time. Always a fun time to rediscover how all of this was a pain in the arse.

 

Maybe I can install Fedora now. This post is made in the Mint environment, so that's poof proof. The last time I tried this, I was in the mint install environment, and google yanked the post.

 

5/15/25,6:50 PM:

Fedora may be simpler, but getting Linux Mint installed again is a bit of a tussle. Spent the better part of today working on this.

Why did I ever start bothering with computers???? Seemed like a good idea at the time.

This is a video which shows how to install the Fedora Linux distro. I've used this YouTube Channel (AgileDevArt) for videos on how to install other Linux distros, among which is Zorin OS. My impression of the video is that the installation of Fedora seems relatively simple in comparision with Zorin or any other Linux distro that I've installed. Perhaps this is a good sign. As of yet, I'm only considering this new (to me) distro.

P.S., 11:11 AM:

This video isn't the SilverBlue distro mentioned on the other blog. AgileDevArt installed it via Windows. I'm contemplating doing it through Mint. That's a difference.

POGO oscillation theory as to cause of Starship's recent RUDs

An unofficial explanation for what's going wrong with the Starship's recent flights.

 

Floating to orbit on Mars?

JP discusses a tandem airship. However, there's a better idea with his airship to orbit concept employed on Mars. However, there's nothing wrong with idea of using the tandem airship to launch a rocket with Mars samples to a waiting spacecraft for a return to Earth.

 

But there won't be any takers, unfortunately. There's nobody who would fund this, in my opinion.

Construction ideas

 

Drill technology for geothermal heat pump

The device enables the use of pretty stable temperatures below ground level. Such a "heat pump" will only take the relatively constant temperature below ground, and move it into ground level structures in order to facilitate climate control. A heat exchanger and air pump is about all that would be needed, but that really isn't discussed in this video. The video is about the drill tech.

 

I like the concept.(the drill tech)

The Mosquito Coast reference deserves some discussion...

 

The Mosquito Coast reference is mentioned on the main blog here.

The idea for this post began with the basic idea from this link: "There's no such things as clean energy".

There's no comment upon the clean energy assertion, because there may well be an almost totally clean energy solution being developed right under our noses. It's called Focus Fusion. Focus Fusion is aneutronic, which mean that no neutrons are emitted. This is clean because there's no destabilizing neutrons that will cause succeptible atoms to go radioactive. This means virtually no waste. There may be SOME, but hardly enough for anybody to worry about, but purists undoubtedly will complain about ANYTHING.

It may be true that there's no totally clean energy source, but this one is about as close as it gets in the real world. All radioactive emissions are put to use, and there's no waste. Only helium molecules will be produced. The results will be limitless "clean" energy for millenia or even into perpetuity.

Of course, the technology is still under development and may not pan out. But the latest results are quite promising. We'll see.

With respect to the The Mosquito Coast scenario, we've already had refrigeration since before widespread usage of electricity. An energy source applied to a Stirling Engine will produce cryogenically cooling power. A Stirling Engine only requires energy. It could use sunlight, fire, or basic animal power to drive the device. Stirling Engines have been around longer than steam engines. They can be used without any "greenhouse" emissions whatever.

Or they could be power with an aneutronic fusion device like Focus Fusion. It would be very, very clean; and very, very efficient. Better than solar, but that would be faint praise.

Focus Fusion has a fundraiser going... If you want to invest, remember this: this could be a trillion dollar invention if it works. Disclosure: I own 1 share.

How to get stuff off the moon

Scott Manley discusses some lunar base ideas. He posed the question that I thought up myself awhile back.

This is what you call a "good question". It seems that I had a conversation with the gas gun guy who responded to my query about how to get stuff off the moon, and he said that you wouldn't even have to heat hydrogen that hot in order to reach escape velocity.

So a hydrogen gas gun would be better than a rail gun. By the way, you could recover electricity by having some brakes to slow down the accelerator device. The way it would work is that you would need to heat up a chamber full of sealed hydrogen. It wouldn't have to be all that hot. The expansion of the gas would create the push needed to get the sled up to escape velocity. The hydrogen gas can be re-compressed and liquified for storage for the next shot.

Focus Fusion is doing more fundraising

 

This is a shoe-string type operation. Small timers can invest here. It is like a lottery ticket. The thing to remember about lottery tickets is that they payoff. They have to.

But it is a hit or miss proposition. If it doesn't hit, you lose it all. Therefore, a small investment of funds that could be lost without wanting to jump off a high building--- may be all that is needed. Therefore, I have been invested in exactly one share of this "investment" that I call a lottery ticket. If you can spare it, and you can afford it, one share might be available for as low as $100. Incidentally, most of my posts on Focus Fusion is on the other blog. It goes here now because it is a speculation. That's where I try to divide between what could be, and what actually is.

And invest in LPPFusion! https://t.co/c8sCdNunBk

— LPPFusion (@LPPFusion) March 18, 2025

Forbidden Technologies and The Silencing of Their Inventors

 

Universe Inside You YouTube Channel

A name from the past resurfaces

 

Aptera? Well, they're baaaaaack. These two guys seem to be a bit skeptical of Aptera's claims. These claims may be inflated, as there's no penalty yet, for lying. Just as long as you don't do it when it is against the law, such as marketing a product through the use of false claims.

Anyway, all of that aside, the design is highly efficient in terms of aerodynamics. It may also be highly efficient in terms of its friction against the surface. In other words, in order to roll down the highway, it may not take all that much power to keep it going. This has many advantages, and it is the reason why I think electric cars are too darned heavy.

It DOES appear that better ultra-capacitors are in the works, so if these could be employed in this kind of car, they could get something special out of it. The video also mentions that people in the Aptera community are quite devoted to it. That explains why they are back, I suppose.

Graphene capacitors here and now

This tech is better than the tech described in the AI dialogues. I don't know if these are available for installation in autos, but they are indeed being used in other applications. However, not as I envisioned it. To put together a package that could work the way I envision could take awhile to figure out and write it up. This short ditty will have to do for now.

 

One ammonia source that may turn up some noses

 

At the risk of provoking a "yuck" response, here's another LEO AI dialogue about your pee.

Does the decomposition of urea from human urine result in the production of ammonia, and if so, how much?

According to the provided text from Wikipedia, urea is synthesized in the body as part of the urea cycle, where amino groups donated by ammonia and L-aspartate are converted to urea. The decomposition of urea from human urine can indeed result in the production of ammonia. *The process is as follows:* Urea (CO(NH2)2) is broken down by enzymes in the kidneys and liver to form carbon dioxide and ammonia (NH3).

Sidebar from a source given from LEO AI:

Decomposition of urea from human urine:

Urea Decomposition in Human Urine

Urea from human urine decomposes primarily through microbial activity in soil, where it is converted into ammonia and ammonium ions. This process can take between 5 and 20 days, depending on the initial microbial content of the soil and the dilution of the urine

Another method of urea decomposition involves the use of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which utilize microbial digestion to degrade organic waste, including urea, and generate power. In an extensive study, raw human urine was treated over a 45-day period using MFCs

Urea can also decompose through enzymatic processes, specifically by the enzyme urease, which catalyzes the hydrolytic decomposition of urea into ammonia and carbamic acid, which further decomposes into ammonia and carbonic acid

To inhibit the decomposition of urea during storage, acids such as sulfuric or acetic acid can be added. A one-time dosage of 60 meq of sulfuric or acetic acid per liter of undiluted urine can inhibit urea decomposition for more than 100 days

The decomposition of urea is also influenced by pH levels. There is a strong relationship between pH and the fraction of urea decomposed in urine, with higher pH levels facilitating decomposition

End sidebar, return to dialogue:

Please discuss microbial fuel cells.

**Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs)**

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a type of bio-electrochemical system that utilizes microorganisms to break down organic matter, such as urea, and generate electricity. MFCs consist of an anode and a cathode separated by an electrolyte, where microorganisms thrive and produce electrons as a byproduct of their metabolic processes.

**Key Components and Processes:**

1. **Anode:** Microorganisms, such as bacteria or archaea, break down organic matter, releasing electrons and protons.

2. **Electrolyte:** The electrons and protons are transferred through the electrolyte, creating an electric potential.

3. **Cathode:** Oxygen or other electron acceptors react with the electrons, completing the circuit and generating electricity.

**Advantages and Applications:**

1. **Renewable Energy:** MFCs can harness energy from organic waste, reducing the need for fossil fuels.

2. **Wastewater Treatment:** MFCs can treat wastewater while generating electricity, making them an attractive solution for wastewater management.

3. **Remote Power:** MFCs can provide power for remote communities or in areas where traditional energy sources are not available.

**Limitations and Challenges:**

1. **Efficiency:** MFCs have relatively low energy conversion efficiency compared to traditional power generation methods.

2. **Scalability:** MFCs are still in the early stages of development, and scaling up their production and implementation is a significant challenge.

3. **Cost:** MFCs are currently more expensive than traditional power generation methods, making them less competitive.

**Future Directions:**

1. **Improving Efficiency:** Researchers are working to optimize MFC design, materials, and microbial communities to increase efficiency.

2. **Scaling Up:** Larger-scale MFC deployments are being explored, including integrated systems for wastewater treatment and power generation.

3. **Cost Reduction:** Economies of scale and advancements in materials and manufacturing could reduce the cost of MFCs, making them more competitive.





Conclusion:

Seems to be a dead end. However, it may be useful to know if one is thinking about how to handle human waste on Mars.

Leo Dialogue: About this blog

I find this amusing. Why not blog it?

Please describe this blog at the following url: https://kardashevianaspirations.blogspot.com/

 

The blog at the URL https://kardashevianaspirations.blogspot.com/ is a personal blog titled "Kardashevian Aspirations" that has been renamed to "Space City Speculations." The blog appears to be a series of posts discussing various topics, including off-grid projects, hypothetical electric vehicles (EVs), and fuel cell technology.

 

The blog is written in a conversational style, with the author, Greg, engaging in a dialogue with an AI assistant named Leo. The posts are dated, with the most recent post being from March 28, 2025.

 

The blog covers a range of topics, including chemistry, materials science, and engineering. The author provides detailed information on various chemical compounds, such as ammonium bicarbonate and ammonium carbonate, and their production methods.

 

The blog also discusses fuel cell technology, specifically PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) hydrogen fuel cells. The author mentions several companies involved in the production of PEM fuel cells, including Bosch, PowerCell Sweden, and Horizon.

 

The blog's tone is informal and conversational, suggesting that it is intended for a general audience interested in science and technology. However, the level of detail and technical information provided suggests that the blog may also be of interest to professionals and enthusiasts in the field.

 

Leo Dialogues --- smelling salts?

This is a series of posts about a hypothetical EV car that I'm imagining with the aid of AI called Leo. This is the third post, Post two is here, and Post One is there.





Please tell me that there is such a thing as ammonium bicarbonate, and if there is, how to make it.

**Ammonium Bicarbonate**

Yes, ammonium bicarbonate is a real chemical compound with the formula NH4HCO3. It is a colorless crystalline solid and is also known as ammonium acid bicarbonate.

To make ammonium bicarbonate, you can react ammonia (NH3) with carbon dioxide (CO2) in water. The reaction is as follows:

NH3 + CO2 + H2O → NH4HCO3

However, this reaction is not straightforward and requires careful control of the conditions. A more common method to produce ammonium bicarbonate is by reacting ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) with carbon dioxide in water:

NH4OH + CO2 + H2O → NH4HCO3 + H2O

This reaction is often used in industrial settings to produce ammonium bicarbonate for various applications, including food and pharmaceutical industries.



With respect to the previous question about ammonium bicarbonate, how would ammonium hydroxide be obtained?



**Obtaining Ammonium Hydroxide (NH4OH)**

Ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) can be obtained by reacting ammonia (NH3) with water. The reaction is as follows:

NH3 + H2O → NH4OH

This reaction is highly exothermic and should be carried out slowly under controlled conditions to prevent the solution from becoming too hot.

A more common method to obtain ammonium hydroxide is by dissolving ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) in water:

NH4Cl + H2O → NH4OH + HCl

This method is often used in laboratory settings to prepare solutions of ammonium hydroxide. However, please note that handling strong bases like ammonium hydroxide requires proper safety precautions and equipment.

If you need more information or clarification on handling these chemicals, I'd be happy to help.



How is so-called smelling salts produced?

**Smelling Salts**

Smelling salts, also known as ammonia salts or ammoniated salts, are typically composed of ammonium carbonate (NH4)2CO3 or ammonium bicarbonate (NH4HCO3). However, the most common and effective smelling salt is ammonium carbonate.

Smelling salts are produced by reacting ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) with sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) in water:

NH4Cl + Na2CO3 → (NH4)2CO3 + NaCl

This reaction produces ammonium carbonate, which is the active ingredient in smelling salts. The resulting solution is then concentrated and dried to produce a crystalline powder or a solid cake. When the powder is applied to the nostrils, the ammonia gas released from the ammonium carbonate causes a sudden and intense sensation, often referred to as a "whiff" or "snort".



With respect to ammonium carbonate, how is it produced?

**Producing Ammonium Carbonate**

Ammonium carbonate ((NH4)2CO3) can be produced by several methods:

1. **Reaction of Ammonia with Carbon Dioxide**: Ammonia (NH3) can be reacted with carbon dioxide (CO2) in the presence of water to produce ammonium carbonate:

2NH3 + CO2 + H2O → (NH4)2CO3

2. **Reaction of Ammonium Chloride with Sodium Carbonate**: Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) can be reacted with sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) to produce ammonium carbonate:

NH4Cl + Na2CO3 → (NH4)2CO3 + NaCl

3. **Reaction of Ammonium Hydroxide with Carbon Dioxide**: Ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) can be reacted with carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce ammonium carbonate:

NH4OH + CO2 → (NH4)2CO3

These reactions are commonly used in industrial settings to produce ammonium carbonate for various applications.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell discussion

More LEO AI discussion with regard to PEM hydrogen cells.

Who makes PEM hydrogen fuel cells?

Several companies are involved in the production of PEM hydrogen fuel cells. Some of the notable companies mentioned in the search results include:

* Bosch: They are collaborating with PowerCell Sweden to mass-produce fuel-cell stacks, which are a key component of PEM hydrogen fuel cells.

* PowerCell Sweden: They are a startup that is working with Bosch to bring PEM fuel cell technology to mass production.

* Plug Power: They are a company that specializes in PEM fuel cell technology and provides fuel cell systems for various applications.

* Daimler Chrysler: They have developed a PEM fuel cell system, known as the Necar 5, which uses reformed methanol as fuel.

* Horizon: They are a company that offers PEM fuel cell products, including the H-5000 PEM Fuel Cell, which is a 5kW fuel cell system.

These are just a few examples of companies that are involved in the production of PEM hydrogen fuel cells. There are many other companies and research institutions working on this technology as well.

Describe for me please, the Horizon PEM fuel cell in terms of its dimensions and weight.

**Horizon PEM Fuel Cell Dimensions and Weight**

The Horizon H-1000 PEM Fuel Cell has the following dimensions and weight:

* **Stack Size:** 268 x 219 x 123 mm (10.5" x 8.6" x 4.8")

* **Stack Weight (with Fan & Casing):** 4kg ± 100g (8.8 lbs ± 0.22 lbs)

* **Controller Weight:** 400g ± 30g (0.88 lbs ± 0.066 lbs)

Note that the dimensions and weight may vary slightly depending on the specific model and configuration of the fuel cell.

The Horizon PEM Fuel Cell just mentioned has what kind of performance with regard to power and durabillity?

**Horizon H-1000 PEM Fuel Cell Performance**

The Horizon H-1000 PEM Fuel Cell has the following performance characteristics:

* **Maximum Power:** 1 kW

* **Nominal Power:** 750 W

* **Efficiency:** Up to 40%

* **Lifetime:** 40,000 hours (approximately 5 years of operation)

* **Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF):** 20,000 hours

Note that the actual performance of the fuel cell may vary depending on the operating conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and fuel quality.

Does Horizon have other models that are more powerful than the one just mentioned?

**Horizon Fuel Cell Models**

Horizon offers a range of fuel cell models with varying power outputs. Some of their more powerful models include:

* **H-5000:** 5 kW PEM fuel cell stack, designed for stationary power generation and backup power applications.

* **H-10kW:** 10 kW PEM fuel cell stack, designed for medium-power applications such as data centers and telecommunications.

* **H-20kW:** 20 kW PEM fuel cell stack, designed for high-power applications such as industrial power generation and grid-scale energy storage.

These models are designed to be more powerful and efficient than the H-1000, and are intended for use in a variety of applications where high power density is required.

As for the Horizon H-20kw PEM fuel cell just mentioned, what is its dimensions in terms of volume and weight?

**Horizon H-20kW PEM Fuel Cell Dimensions and Weight**

The Horizon H-20kW PEM Fuel Cell has the following dimensions and weight:

* **Stack Size:** 560 x 295 x 350 mm (22" x 11.6" x 13.8")

* **Volume:** Approximately 0.06 cubic meters (2.1 cubic feet)

* **Weight (with Fan & Casing):** 15kg ± 1kg (33 lbs ± 2.2 lbs)

* **Controller Weight:** 1.5kg ± 0.1kg (3.3 lbs ± 0.22 lbs)

Please note that these dimensions and weight may vary slightly depending on the specific configuration and packaging of the fuel cell.

Summary:

The discussion concludes with a fuel cell dimensions and its performance characteristics. It could be a starting point for building out a conceptual model for an electric powered vehicle. The goal for this EV would be for it to be comparable to the size and weight of a Toyota Corolla, and have roughly the performance you'd expect from such a conventional ICE vehicle.

Lost post

3/26/25:

 

 

Removed and replaced word by word to the other blog, meaning this blog from the other blog. I hope that's clear.

 

8:00 AM:

 

It has been something of a disappointment to read that electric vehicles are so heavy. Surely, there is a way to make them more light weight. So I tried asking AI a few questions on the matter...

3/25/25:

Question to the LEO AI: How many joules can an Ultra-capacitor hold?

Answer:

The text doesn't provide a direct answer to the amount of joules of energy that an ultracapacitor can hold. However, it mentions that ultracapacitors store 10 to 100 times more energy per unit volume or mass than electrolytic capacitors.

To give you a better estimate, let's assume the energy stored in an electrolytic capacitor is around 1 Wh/kg (watt-hour per kilogram). Then, an ultracapacitor with the same mass could store between 10 Wh/kg and 100 Wh/kg.

To convert watt-hours to joules, we multiply by 3600 (since 1 Wh = 3600 J). So, an ultracapacitor with a mass of 1 kg could store between 36,000 J and 360,000 J.

Question to the LEO AI: Why can't Ultracapacitors be used instead of batteries?

Answer:

Ultracapacitors cannot serve as the propulsion battery in electric vehicles (EVs) because they lack the storage capacity. They can store a significant amount of energy, but it is not enough to power an EV for an extended period. Ultracapacitors are better suited for applications that require quick bursts of energy, such as:

* Regenerative braking in EVs (where they can help recover kinetic energy)

* Powering low-voltage systems, such as:

+ Instrumentation panels

+ Entertainment systems

+ LED lighting

+ Sensors





In these applications, ultracapacitors can provide a reliable and efficient source of power for short periods, but they are not a replacement for batteries in terms of long-term energy storage.



Comment:

Still not satisfied with this... I think that ultracapacitors MIGHT be more useful than is commonly thought. But I don't know enough to know why it is commonly thought and why it may be wrong ( in my opinion). Maybe I'm just talking out my ass, or maybe I'm on to something.

9:50 AM:

A few more questions, then!

Question: What is the measurement of capacity for capacitors?

Answer:

The measurement of capacity for capacitors is typically expressed in units of **Farads (F)**. However, capacitors are often available in smaller values, such as microfarads (μF), nanofarads (nF), or even picofarads (pF).

If you need more information on capacitor values or how they're used in circuits, let me know and I'd be happy to elaborate.

Question: How is a farad calculated or determined?

Answer: A **Farad (F)** is a unit of capacitance, calculated using the formula:

C = Q / V

Where: - C is the capacitance in Farads (F)

- Q is the charge in Coulombs (C)

- V is the voltage across the capacitor in Volts (V)



To determine the capacitance of a capacitor, you can use the following formula:[see note (1) below ]



Question: Is there a relationship between colulombs and amps?

Answer:



**Yes**, there is a relationship between Coulombs (C) and Amps (A).

The relationship is based on the definition of electric current:

I = Q / t

Where: - I is the current in Amps (A)

- Q is the charge in Coulombs (C)

- t is the time in seconds (s)



This means that 1 Ampere (A) is equal to 1 Coulomb (C) per second.

In other words, if you know the charge (in Coulombs) and the time (in seconds), you can calculate the current (in Amps).



It's getting there...

2:45 PM: It may be that the number of ultra-capacitors can be optimized as well as the other components to yield the lightest weight configuration. But that is a bridge too far for yours truly, but I can always speculate a bit. With that, the last question:



How much would a 500 F ultracapacitor weigh?



The weight of a 500F ultracapacitor can vary depending on the specific type, size, and manufacturer. However, a common type of ultracapacitor, called an Electric Double Layer Capacitor (EDLC), typically weighs between 1-3 kg (2.2-6.6 lbs) for a 500F rating.

Here's a rough breakdown of the weight of different types of ultracapacitors:

* EDLC (500F): 1-3 kg (2.2-6.6 lbs)

* Hybrid Ultracapacitor (500F): 0.5-2 kg (1.1-4.4 lbs)

* Lithium-Ion Ultracapacitor (500F): 0.2-1 kg (0.44-2.2 lbs)



Please note that these are rough estimates and actual weights may vary depending on the specific product and manufacturer.

Comment:



You may need about 20 units to give you enough acceleration for most cases. That's about as good as I can think it up based upon what I can figure. The actual number may be more or less, and by a significant margin. I'm no expert at this.

This is still a considerable amount of weight. The battery isn't figured in, nor the fuel cell. Then there's the machinery needed to handle to fuel. That won't be light weight. It may well be that battery powered vehicles will always be too heavy unless they come up with a miracle solution.

Note (1): C = (C1 \* C2) / (C1 + C2)

Where:

- C1 and C2 are the capacitances of two capacitors in series or in parallel.

However, this formula requires knowledge of the individual capacitances. If you have a capacitor and need to measure its capacitance, you can use a multimeter or a capacitance meter.

If you need more information on how to measure or calculate capacitance, I'd be happy to provide more details or point you in the right direction.

Would power beaming work on Mars?

How would you get all of your power on Mars? One thing that you could do would be to use power beaming.

 

tdavl commented on Popular Mechanics: "This is real. I’ve seen Reach wireless power a drone. Stayed up for 6 hours." https://t.co/w5hNhrnHYG --- It would seem that power beaming could work on Mars. It would be a way to power a base on Mars.

— BootsandOil (@BootsandO6892) March 26, 2025

How could Tesla innovate their way out of their current mess?

 

Copy the Chinese! Didn't the Chinese invent a way to swap out batteries real fast? Why not steal their ideas for a change.

Do them one better than that. Perhaps you could add a range extender in the form of a hydrogen fuel cell that you could rent. Most people drive short distances. If you install a short range battery and reduce the price, it could be a sweetner for sales. Add the convenience of battery swapping, and a hydrogen range extender, and you could make the cars more affordable to own and operate.

How big does a fuel cell have to be? Not that big, in my opinion. It could be just big enough to supply the vehicle with power and a little extra for charging the battery. On the highway, a vehicle needs only about 20 horsepower.

Stations that swap batteries could also supply range extenders. To move hydrogen into place, use ammonia, and crack the ammonia at the distribution site.

Quick Update:

Does anybody remember this? Why hasn't it been developed? Seems to me that you could make ammonia out of the bicarbonates in the sea, and then ship it all over the world. These would power their autos through the fuel cell.

6:00PM:

There's a car made by Honda that fits the description of what I was referring to, but is pretty heavy. That puzzles me. ( It doesn't have a power unit swap out capability).

Would this work in high humidity, without a fog?

Then you'd have a universal water production device. Having to wait for a fog may cause it to have limited usefulness.

Nuke rocket concepts

Alpha-Tech YouTube

You can breed Thorium in space, and then use it for your nuclear thermal energy. Seeding it into some molten salts will keep it under control, as per demonstrations done at Oak Ridge decades ago. But those in Oak Ridge were not for rockets, but possibly for airplanes.

The use of ammonia seems interesting. I would wonder about how to get the most out of it.

The concepts below aren't the only ones. There are many ways to do the same thing. The need is for a definite plan, and then to execute it.

Part II: The initial unmanned landings

Given what the previous post says, the first Starships will be unmanned, and will be equipped with semi-autonomous robots.

These bots must build out a habitat that the first humans can actually live in. That would opposed to dying in the ships, because the ships are not a place where they'd like to live for the rest of their lives.

Preferably, it would employ the strategy of in-situ resourcing. So, how does this get accomplished? Let's start with the Starships themselves. They each have a lot of interior room, but what if you want much more? You'd have to build something on the surface of Mars, and that means you don't have a lot of materials or machines to work with.

We could still use the Starships. How? Let's keep in mind that Musk wants to bring 1000 ships into service. Therefore, he can spare a bunch for this idea. That idea would be to use the Starships to build out a large space for humans to live in. How many? Let's say less than hundred of them could be used in-situ to make an enclosed area as tall as a Starship, and as thick as its diameter. The Starships would be placed around a circle that would be almost 600 feet in diameter. This would enclose an area of 50k square feet and about 150 feet tall. You can make a super large enclosed structure out of these things. But it would need a roof.

It would also need to have the gaps filled in so that it could be pressurized. It may be a challenge to get a roof on top of it. A blimp like structure that could be inflated could go over the top of the structure, and be attached to it. All gaps would be filled in, and the structure could then be pressurized.

A procedure could be employed that would allow this to be accomplished with as much speed as could be brought to bear. A number of Starships would have to be scrapped and used as metal to fill in the gaps. No more than 40 Starships could be scrapped to fill in the gaps on the outside and inside.

For good measure, an inner liner could go on the inside so that there would definitely not be any leaks.

Over time, the structure could be modified so as to improve its durability and longetivity. Once the interior is built out, then interior could be built out next. You could scavenge the remains of the Starships used for a substantial amount of metal that could used in order to complete the task.

In summary, a hundred Starships could be employed to do the job of adding millions of square feet of potential floorspace for a megabuilding the size of a sports stadium on Earth, but with many floors. It could be built out inside with materials obtained from the Martian environment. Bots could do the work before any people arrived.

A single Starship on Mars.  I forgot about the control surfaces.  They won't fit together tightly, so they'll have to be removed first.  That would complicate things a bit.

Musk's first manned missions to Mars

This post is made without the benefit of any inside knowledge about Elon Musk's plans.

In fact, it is being made without studying over his talks all that much. It is mostly speculation about his approach that isn't being talked about. Also that, it is one that some folks that haven't grasped one important point. That is this: the first settlers won't be coming back home at the earliest launch window to Earth. There is a strong possibility that they won't come back at all.

This wouldn't necessarily be a failure. It is an intention. The problem that Musk is trying to solve will be such that there cannot be a return trip, because this will impose a requirement that will complicate the process of creating a permanent presence there.

As it is being pointed out in some quarters, the need to return back will be a huge effort in itself. The removal of that as a goal will simplify their task. It will be enough for these settlers to survive for at least two launch windows on Mars. By that time, the will be so acclimated to space that the return back to Earth may be impossible physically.

For five years away from Earth will change their bodies permanently. That is, if they survive that long.

A return trip to Earth would entail a much faster ship. If it could be done with enough speed, it could be done within one launch window. This will necessitate completely different launch parameters.

So a return trip home is not going to be feasible. But a trip there in order to stay will be feasible. Or at least, more feasible.

If there's not going to be a return trip, and there will be unmanned trips, what will those first trips be like?

He will be sending his robots there to look for resources. A water source will be needed. Besides that, shelter will be needed. Living in a rocket for months at a time is enough. They need some shelter outside their spacecraft.

The first shelters may be included on the unmanned ships. The robots will set up the shelters. Those shelters will need plenty of radiation shielding.

The settlers will need to able to breathe. Some machinery will be needed to produce oxygen for breathing.

There will be a need to detoxify their immediate environment. Mars has a lot of perchlorates in its regolith. These could find their way into their living space. These will have to be removed.

Mars is very cold. There will be a need for a heat source.

The list is long. A lot of ground work will be done in this first mission. The work may not be finished before the first humans arrive. It will be a race to finish the work before the newcomers die off.

It won't be easy. In fact, it may take several attempts to get people to survive long enough to keep the enterprise going. Something to think about, eh?

With respect to solving the world's biggest problems ( by using AI)

Quote:

"An amazing future, as long as it doesn't destroy us first"

Veritasium YouTube

 

 

February 10, 2025 Quick space links

Behind the Black blog

Of these, one stands out for a post on this here speculative blog, maties.

 

There's one about high energy particles trapped in the Earth's orbit.  My speculation is in the form of a question:  Can these be mined in any significant way, such that it can be a source of water?

 

Re-purposing old aircraft carriers for launching and recovering Starships.

 

This is an interesting speculation, but not by ME. So, I'll embed it here on me speculative blog, maties.

 

Aircraft carriers are frickin' HUGE. They also stand tall above the water. Perhaps he could fasten a catch mechanism at the end of the deck, and off the side. It's tall enough to clear the water. The flames from the rocket would hit the ocean water, and just steam back up. No need to use water, cuz it's all around.

 

The retired one they are talking about is diesel powered. The nuclear powered Nimitz class carriers are getting old, so that may be a possibility in the future. Imagine using the nuclear power units to make methane out of sea water. Then, they could be self-sufficient in terms of fueling their ships.

 

 

 

 

 

The first few landings on Mars could be different

If the first few landings of Mars involves machines and not people, then that will mean that those Starships are expendable. More cargo capacity could mean that a different landing approach could be employed. Why would you need the mostly empty Starship with all those engines and fuel tanks?

The Starship's lower sections could be jettisoned, which means less mass to soft land. That means less fuel, and less powerful engines. If the idea is to land 150 tons, with a gravity well of less than 40% of Earth's, then you'd need somewhere above 60 tons thrust to set the rump Starship down gently on Mars.

A battery of SuperDracos could the job.

The fact is, I don't really like the idea of landing the Starship in the manner in which the current plan envisages. Neither do some other folks who comment upon Musk's plans. There is a suggestion for a smaller lander, but to enclose a smaller lander would make the concept less efficient. Therefore, the idea for ditching the main engines and tanks before the final approach to landing.

The current plan has already been tested on Earth. The final flip maneuver preceeds the restart of the Raptors, with the final burn down to the landing. I say that the flip could be kept, but the Raptors could be ditched, with a brief burn to get the jettisoned part out of harm's way. The SuperDracos could take over to set the ship down on the surface.

Perhaps more than 150 tons could be landed. Future manned ships could keep the flip maneuver with an entire ship setting down. The first few manned ships would be not be prepared for returning either, so a different landing technique could be prepared for that too. Perhaps the same maneuver!

If there's some infrastructure already built up, then it wouldn't be necessary to keep the lower portion of the ship anyway.

The biggest icebergs in the world

 

Are as big as some small countries. They may exist for a few years before they break apart. In the spirit of what I mentioned just recently, if you were to melt these things for water, and then send the water to areas such as Southern California, you just might be able to do it profitably. Maybe. Or maybe I don't know what the hell I'm talking about.

 

If you cannot do this, then what sense does it make to go to Mars?

 

 

Elon Musk's 66 Trillion Dollar Plan for Mars

He doesn't even need to mine Terbinium in order to pay for it.

What happens when AI knows too much?

 

Beeyond Ideas YouTube

 

Summary: Unraveling the consequences of rapid AI growth. Reaction: My hunch is that it won't happen quite the way this video says.

 

 

 

 

What resource does Greenland have that we could use?

7:23 AM:

Water

The climate doomers say that if Greenland were to melt, it would raise the level of the oceans. Why not put all of that melted ice ( aka "water") to good use? It sure seems like it could come in handy in some places, like Collyfornia.

How to do all that? Well, if you can mine the North Slope of Alaska for oil, then you can move a crap load of ice off that giant ice sheet. Melt it down, or just load it up on tankers and cruise on down to the good ol' US of A. By the time the tanker got there, the ice should be melted. Pump it out, and send it to those empty reservoirs in Collyfornia. Maybe they could put out a few fires, or something.

You can move a lot of mass with supertankers. It says that each of those things can move 550k tons at a time. That's mucho agua, senor. The cost? To move it about 2 or 3 cents per gallon. You could bottle it and sell it for a profit at that price.

8:52 AM: A supertanker can hold 500k tons, which is enough to fill the empty reservoir near the Palisades fire near L.A.

Tiny home

Would you live in one, he asks. Shoot, I lived in a travel trailer for 7 plus years. It wasn't this big.

Testing Amazon's 3 cheapest welders

Still got that 5'x8' trailer, which I could possibly use on a trip way out to yonder and back. The idea is to make it portable. There would be some welds of attach points for some boards to install at the destination. Putting it all together on site and then taking it back down when departing.

Making it portable would also make it easier to move around. I don't like the idea of putting a trailer together and then finding out that it can't take the trip.

Besides, a trailer like this needs some welding done to it anyway. Just never got around to it. Besides, I never did welding before, so I wonder what kind of job I'd do. Probably not the best, as this tends to be the pattern.