NASA considers orbiting fuel departments

Like i said some time ago... We are moving forward. I give them max 20 years before some real scifi technology drops. On ISS there is already Scifi technology.

A combination of the "space elevator" and a "refuelling depot" would to me, be the most effective way of achieving economic space exploration. Fuel, cargo and passengers could be transported to the depot, via the elevator, and transferred on to small craft that had no need to attempt re-entry of take off from earth, thus removing the most dangerous and expensive part of the equation. Of course massive investment would have to be made initially, to develop the technology.

Blueandi you are right but with no elevator... US already has its Virgin Galactic space company which can bring passengers to suborbit/orbit. I would picture a much less expensive investment and make ISS part refueling-part spaceport station. By spaceport i mean like an airport, people will stay up there until they get a flight to desired destination. And i think my idea would work very well actualy plus it would save lots of funds.

Virgin isnt close to orbit and are just touching space for a brief few minutes. Space X is the way to go to orbit and with a space elevator and refueling depot. We have been dicking around in low orbit for 40 years. Anyone ever feel like Nasa was kept in Low orbit on purpose by the politician and the military? Just keep changing rocket designs and we will never get there. This is what Nasa has done for the past 40 years, produce lots of paper then change the design, then do it again,and again,and again....see a pattern? We could do mars and the inner planets and moon with a fuel depot,starting... [More]

Sounds good. Texaco in orbit. The space travelers will be able to check oil and water and tires, freshen up in the restrooms and visit the mini-mart before continuing on their journey.

To refuel what??? They are phasing out the space shuttle and the only other things they've been launching are space probes. I would think we would need something to refuel before we pollute the planets orbit with more junk.

To refuel what??? They are phasing out the space shuttle and the only other things they've been launching are space probes. I would think we would need something to refuel before we pollute the planets orbit with more junk. LOL its true they haven't even developed the next space vehicle yet, Obama shelved all that.