alt Hacker NewsThat solves many of those problems, although it rather introduces a big gravity well to escape from when replication is complete.
That solves many of those problems, although it rather introduces a big gravity well to escape from when replication is complete.
Though, by the time we've replicated a complete industrial hinterland (up to and including a semiconductor supply chain) which the author describes, it seems like generating fuel and engines wouldn't be impossible.
Also to the authors last point (extremely long time scales causing degradation), it seems like we'd want high thrust capabilities regardless. i.e. maybe a small gravity well doesn't gain us anything, since we'd need big engines to get up to speed anyway.