Shields up!

[Neil]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6567709.stm

Another 'Star Trek' piece of technology moving out of the realms of scifi :)

[Terran]

This would be very helpful if not essential technology for "real" human space travel

[Neil]

This would be very helpful if not essential technology for "real" human space travel

Why not essential? At the moment they have to put in a shield in some shape or form?

[Terran]

Well the essential value in this I would think should depend on whats more cost effective and energy effective.....


Generating a "force field" like this may cost a high amount of energy. Some sort of physical shielding would not cost energy to work but would require more energy to put it into orbit because it would add a lot of weight to the vessel.....


So yeah shielding of some sort is definitely essential.....I was just saying "very helpful if not essential technology " because it seems likely that they would not use just "force field" technology but some combination that creates a situation where it is as energy effective and cost effective as possible....


I hope you get what Im saying....Im kindof preoccupied and cant spend any extended time thinking about my post wording...

[Neil]

Well the essential value in this I would think should depend on whats more cost effective and energy effective.....


Generating a "force field" like this may cost a high amount of energy. Some sort of physical shielding would not cost energy to work but would require more energy to put it into orbit because it would add a lot of weight to the vessel.....


So yeah shielding of some sort is definitely essential.....I was just saying "very helpful if not essential technology " because it seems likely that they would not use just "force field" technology but some combination that creates a situation where it is as energy effective and cost effective as possible....


I hope you get what Im saying....Im kindof preoccupied and cant spend any extended time thinking about my post wording...

I suppose the +ve is it can be varied according to requirement. The -ve is if there is a failure/problem (sounds somewhat more complicated than a lump of metal), the astronauts fry!