[OT]-Interstellar Trade

It's about 2:30 am and I can't sleep, so I thought I would contribute
some
of my ideas on this subject.  I deleted the messages that started the
tread,
so I started an new one.  Anyway, from what read the problem is ground
to
orbit cost and interstellar transport cost.  If you have the tech to
make
both cheap enough for a reasonable return on your investment, you have
the
tech to make trading redundant, except for specialty items.  So a little
hand waving is in order.  Here's my take.  Let's say that the ability to
produce FTL devices requires some fairly high tech gadgets, but the
energy
required to power these devices is relatively low.  I'm not going to get
into specific numbers, since it is after 2 in the morning.   Furthermore
let's say that the FTL device works by opening a "wormhole".  For the
ground
to orbit situation, you could say that an FTL device on the ground opens
a
stable wormhole to a position in orbit.  Thus allowing you to transport
bulk
goods to orbit at a reasonable cost.  To keep you from just transporting
your goods directly from planet to planet ,  and keep spacecraft in the
picture (which is where the funs at anyway), you have to put some
restrictions on the FTL devices.  Say a gravity well does have an
influence
on the FTL device.  But, for small entrance and exit situations, say big
enough for a railroad car size pallet o' stuff, an FTL device can work
in a
gravity well over VERY short distances, like from ground to VERY HIGH
orbit.
The reason for a very high orbit, say over twice the diameter of the
planet,
is to keep from having the FTL device being used as a mass transit
system.
So your spacecraft in orbit pick up the trade goods at the exit point of
the
wormhole.  To keep spacecraft from FTLing right on top of your planets,
you
have the restriction of any distance greater than <insert reasonable
distance here> requires that BOTH the entrance and exit of the wormhole
be
out of the gravity well.

Just some thoughts.

Christopher K Smith
SR MECH Auburn University
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Homepage http://www.auburn.edu/~smithck
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