From: alain245@videotron.ca   
      
   On May/20/2022 at 01:08, JF Mezei wrote :   
   > On 2022-05-19 20:16, Alain Fournier wrote:   
   >   
   >> Even if I don't think the Space Hotel project that spurred this thread   
   >> is viable, it is that kind of thing that is needed to develop space.   
   >   
   > Consider the station for 2001. People from different places go up there   
   > and await the weekly flight to the moon (or vice versa).   
   >   
   > Having a hotel/gas station in LEO would allow constant flow of refueling   
   > Starships to fill up huge gas tanks, as well as bring food, O2 etc.  So   
   > when there is a flight to Mars, the starship can stop there to get   
   > refueled with a single docking, as well as get other supplies including   
   > passengers.  And this station would serve Moon as destination as well as   
   > itself being destination.   
   >   
   > The station itself can have the refueling system/pumps and mechanical   
   > arms to reach for the refueling outlet in ships (which could be same as   
   > used at the pad to fuel ship)  instead of every ship needing to   
   > duplicate this weight.   
   >   
   > Orbital inclination would need to be chosen carefully.  But at one   
   > point, it may become more efficient to have a proper gas station in LEO   
   > instead of constantly sending small jerry cans of fuel to refuel ships.   
      
   In my opinion, such a refuelling station makes sense only if it is an   
   intermediary step towards a station where fuel is made. If you bring a   
   comet to Earth orbit and then install equipment to do electrolysis and   
   liquefaction, then you have something that is superior to bringing fuel   
   from Earth.   
      
   If you are going to bring fuel to low Earth orbit from the ground, you   
   are probably better to bring only the amount you need for your   
   particular mission. The next mission then won't need to go somewhere a   
   little different to its optimal location in order to use the small   
   leftovers from the previous mission. If longer term, you are going to   
   make fuel in orbit, than it might make sense to start with a simpler gas   
   station as you suggested, just to figure out what works and what needs   
   to be done differently. And also to use a part of the infrastructure   
   before the whole fuel manufacturing thing is complete.   
      
      
   Alain Fournier   
      
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