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Sir Arthur C Clarke is certainly behind space elevators, a concept he came up with and believes will have more far reaching effects than his other main idea communication satellites in geostationary orbit… Of course there are problems with the development of space elevator technology, not least of which was outlined above another problem will be the risk of terrorist attack on any such structure…
As for other rockets… well they are alternatives but development costs for space but since we are out of the competitive cold-war era of the space race and since so immense few people are willing to plough the billions needed to develop alternative rocket fuels… the huge costs also play a significant role in the inertia of continuing to develop proven and refined rocket and fuel systems.
It was the massive costs combined with political pressure that eventually lead to the demise of Britain’s own Blue Streak Rocket technology. It’s High-Test Peroxide/Kerosine fuel was incredibly efficient, more so than American or Soviet fuels, but as far as I am aware the costs involved in updating the engines and lack of political will to plough money into the development costs mean that Britain is the only country to develop it’s own successful rocket system and then abandon it in favour of cheaper bought-in technology… |
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