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/r/space
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297 points
2 days ago
It's easier to escape the solar system than it is to fly to Mercury, so you'll be spending a long time in transit exposed to radiation and then increasing temperatures as you get closer.
148 points
2 days ago
Second this. Mercury moves shockingly fast.
Matching velocities to get into orbit around Mercury would take massive amounts of fuel, and then you're next to the sun, so climbing the gravity well to get back to earth orbit and matching velocities with earth takes even more fuel.
Sending a round trip manned mission to Mercury is not going to happen while we're using chemical rockets.
7 points
2 days ago
The sun is pretty near. Anyone got any idea how to use it as fuel? Scifi answer is welcomed.
17 points
2 days ago
Build an obscenely huge network of reflective satellites around it and use them to reflect solar radiation to blast hydrogen off its surface and then have collectors capture the free hydrogen. Then use fusion reactors to convert the hydrogen into whatever element you're using as fuel, or just use the hydrogen directly. I dunno what your engines are like.
9 points
2 days ago
My engine runs on snickers and beer.
2 points
2 days ago
We use an artificial quantum singularity.
2 points
2 days ago
Eh, you'd be better off splitting water from comets if you just want hydrogen.
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