RE: [FT] Debris Reef Harbour [LONG]

>Well, your first post regarding the transport cost did have the word
"prohibitive" in it... :)

And, as the material is assumed scattered over a large area, then you
have
transport logistics for the transport 'units', getting the
pusher/catapult/low output thrusters to the various points of origin. I
still see even the long term program, while less energy intensive, still
"prohibitive".

Also, one bit of equipment used for a hundred years can come on the
books
equivalent in cost to a hundred pieces of equipment used for one year,
and
then free for other uses for the next ninety-nine.

I did include that the asteroid mining process could have ejection of
'dross' as part of the shell aggregation program as a necessary
condition,
but even that adds cost to that process. Yes, the amount of material in
the
belt is amazing, but it's 'no cost' is an illusion.

Explosives, such as the mines these replace, tend to be cheaper just be
cause you get bang for your buck, and that includes being smaller and
easy
to transport, relatively.

Why do I feel like we're discussing the meaning of 'is'? ;->=

How about we leave the reef as nothing useful for instant cheap
screens/armor, the way a mine field might. I was merely arguing it
should
be a rare option.

The_Beast