I recall there being quite a bit of discussion about using nuclear weapons for similar purposes during the 50s and early 60s. I fear there's similar problems with this, though rocks from space lack the fallout and radiation of nukes.
Just read "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" to see what tens of kilos of wheat dropped from lunar orbit can do. :) But anything that's capable or knocking great big holes in the ground can do the same to places that aren't barren wasteland. And probably would, unfortunately.
Ya. Even if the projectile guidance system was perfect, I can't see the governments of the world being happy that something with that kind of targetable destructive power was going into orbit.
Even if it was completely legit, and only used for the purpose it was supposed to be, it would set a disturbing precedent.
Although it would almost be worth the uproar to put a little base with a linear accelerator on the Moon to fulfil some large-scale excavation operations on Earth. Every world leader would go stark raving nuts.
Especially if the company then said it was going to take targeting commissions via eBay :)
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Just read "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" to see what tens of kilos of wheat dropped from lunar orbit can do. :) But anything that's capable or knocking great big holes in the ground can do the same to places that aren't barren wasteland. And probably would, unfortunately.
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Even if it was completely legit, and only used for the purpose it was supposed to be, it would set a disturbing precedent.
Although it would almost be worth the uproar to put a little base with a linear accelerator on the Moon to fulfil some large-scale excavation operations on Earth. Every world leader would go stark raving nuts.
Especially if the company then said it was going to take targeting commissions via eBay :)
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Until then, I think it is prohibitively expensive given alternatives. And that probably includes potential excavation costs of the same technology.
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