Just imagine how differently you can do space exploration when launch costs are not in the multi billion (SLS) or hundred million (Falcon Heavy) dollar range, but more like a million dollars.
You can send much bigger, heavier and cheaply constructed probes. And you can give them lots and lots more fuel, especially if you refuel them in-orbit, so less travel time.
Have a heavily shielded/armored Starship that launches small nuclear propulsion units into orbit that are then connected to the probes.
When launching a super heavy ($1 million for 100-150t to LEO) costs a small fraction of what a Falcon 9 launch costs today ($90 million), you can take over that entire segment as well, even without ride sharing.
Or consider CubeSats. They currently weigh around 2kg and ride share with a primary launch.
At $1 million per launch and 100 tons, you could launch 1000 CubeSats at 100 kg each, for $1000 per CubeSat. Though I am not sure if that would work out logistically.
Maybe 200 CubeSats at 500 kg each would be easier, $5000 a pop. Still very doable.
Ye of little imagination!
Just imagine how differently you can do space exploration when launch costs are not in the multi billion (SLS) or hundred million (Falcon Heavy) dollar range, but more like a million dollars.
You can send much bigger, heavier and cheaply constructed probes. And you can give them lots and lots more fuel, especially if you refuel them in-orbit, so less travel time.
Have a heavily shielded/armored Starship that launches small nuclear propulsion units into orbit that are then connected to the probes.
When launching a super heavy ($1 million for 100-150t to LEO) costs a small fraction of what a Falcon 9 launch costs today ($90 million), you can take over that entire segment as well, even without ride sharing.
Or consider CubeSats. They currently weigh around 2kg and ride share with a primary launch.
At $1 million per launch and 100 tons, you could launch 1000 CubeSats at 100 kg each, for $1000 per CubeSat. Though I am not sure if that would work out logistically.
Maybe 200 CubeSats at 500 kg each would be easier, $5000 a pop. Still very doable.