Re: Coverage of space elevator conference on msnbc.com

From: Eugen Leitl (eugen@leitl.org)
Date: Tue Aug 20 2002 - 02:47:31 MDT


On Mon, 19 Aug 2002, Harvey Newstrom wrote:

> How does this square with extropian predictions? I think it overly
> optimistic. I would assume that other people expect the singularity

I think the whole concept is overly optimistic. We don't have the
defect-poor carbon nanotubes of sufficient length, the ribbon is highly
conductive, and plays one meter wide sitting duck to random orbital junk.

I'm rather expecting scramjet/rocket hybrids to succeed first as cheap
haul to LEO, but it's nice people are trying.

> before 15 years.

Or three years ago, whatever. It is really pointless to be mesmerized by
an arbitrary future point in time.



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