From: noneya@business.com   
      
   SeeBelow@SeeBelow.Nut.retro.com wrote:   
   > I think the fuel danger is not excessive.  The fuel containers could be   
   > kept at a considerable distance from the station, on a wire heading   
   > toward the earth.  Tidal forces would keep the wire taught.  That might   
   > be necessary if they were solid fuel, which could explode if hit by a   
   > micro-meteorite.   
   >   
   > OTOH, if the fuel was two components, say oxygen and hydrogen, then   
   > neither oxygen tanks not hydrogen tanks are explosive on their own.  To   
   > keep them cold in space mainly requires sheilding from sunlight.   
      
   We could send up water, then just let solar array-powered electrolysis   
   slowly do its magic to make the fuel. Two years for a bag of fuel? No   
   problem, no rush.   
      
   That way no volatile components in the launch. You could freeze the   
   water, and use it as part of the structure of the launch vehicle to   
   reduce weight. Alternate launch techniques such as rail guns? The   
   payload would certainly tolerate the G's.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)