Future of Space Exploration

Space Cannon

A big cannon can be used to shoot satellites into orbit. It's a lot of force that a human will never survive, and even the electronics and mechanics must be specially designed to withstand all the Gs, but it's a fascinating idea.

Saddam Hussein hired a Canadian guy to build a huge space cannon.

Balloons

Balloons can be used to lift a rocket to the upper atmosphere before firing the rocket, eliminating most of the air resistance associated with accelerating a vessel to the escape velocity.

Balloons can reach altitudes over 170000 ft, where the atmosphere is only about 1/10000^th as dense.

Reusable

Some have discussed reusing booster rockets. I believe Elon Musk's SpaceX is testing a reusable launch vessel that does vertical landings.

Inflatable

Every pound of material that you get into space is costly. Using inflatable habitats can reduce the weight and size of the materials that you need to carry into space. After my experience with air mattresses, I hope they take plenty of patches. I think Bob Bigelow was discussing this idea and others 20-25 years ago.

Shielding

Radiation in space damages DNA and harms electronics. Water and other materials can be stored around the habitat to improve shielding.

Can we use superconductors to create a powerful magnetic field to help shield a habitat from space radiation, either in orbit or on the Moon or Mars?

Reduce Drag

There was rumored to be a secret project of the military that used high voltage to create plasma to reduce drag on an aircraft. Is this feasible? Otherwise, what kinds of coatings could be used to reduce drag on rockets heading to space?

Polar Base

A base near the north or south pole of the moon may benefit from ice that has collected in the perpetually dark craters. Water is needed by people for drinking and cleaning, for growing plants or algae for food, and many other uses. Solar or nuclear power can be used to split water by electrolysis into hydrogen and oxygen for use as a dense fuel or to breathe the oxygen.

Use Regolith

Since it costs so much to move materials into space from Earth, we should try to use materials on the Moon (and Mars) where possible. Why not build structures out of the regolith, melted to form a glasslike material? If nothing else, regolith can be piled up around and on top of a habitat to increase shielding from radiation and micrometeor impacts.

Solar Power

How can we get solar panels into space more cheaply or build them there?

Nuclear Power

Nuclear power can provide much more power for a habitat. How can nuclear power be made smaller, safer, and cleaner?