Questions that should be asked [LWN.net]

Questions that should be asked

Posted Feb 27, 2013 7:26 UTC (Wed) by dlang (✭ supporter ✭, #313)
In reply to: Questions that should be asked by paulj
Parent article: ABS: Android in space

one thing to keep in mind with space equipment is that most of it is so weight sensitive that you can spend a lot of money optimizing the design to save a small amount of weight and come out ahead.

In many cases, your mass issue compounds, a heavier craft means it needs bigger thrusters, more fuel......

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Questions that should be asked

Posted Feb 27, 2013 10:03 UTC (Wed) by khim (subscriber, #9252) [Link]

It's only true if you send stuff to the Mars or Jupiter. To send 1kg to LEO you need about $4'000-$5'000 and to send 1kg to GEO you need $25'000-$30'000.

That's if you use cheap "obsolete" Atlas, Dnepr, Proton, or similar modern replacements. Futuristic Space Shuttle was, indeed, 5-10 times more expensive, but that's not a problem anymore.

At these prices easily achievable savings make sense, but if you need one fully engineer to work a year to save measly 1kg once then obviously it makes no sense at all.