Comic #3945: methods-for-going-to-space
Description
Methods for Going to Space, with Problems and Solutions
Method | Problem | Solution |
---|---|---|
Rocket | Must lift heavy fuel, making launches very expensive. | Spend lots of money. |
Mass Driver | High-speed encounter with atmosphere necessitates extremely tall structure. | New theme park ride. |
Skyhook | Have to catch cable in space. | … magnets? |
Rotating Skyhook | Have to catch rotating cable in space. | Embrace risk of awesome death. |
Space Elevator | No material strong enough to make it. | Remove half of Earth's mass. Most of it not that great anyway. |
Ballistic Cannon | Acceleration would liquefy humans. | Put them back together later? |
Space Fountain | Enormous structure that collapses the moment you stop supplying it massive power. | If goes awry, make amusing comparison to financial sector. |
High Altitude Balloon Launch | No. We are not running an entire launch operation from a gigantic mega-blimp. | But—NO! But—NO! Come on please—NO. |
Comic by SMBC Comics