From: utzoo!watmath!watcgl!mabgarstin Newsgroups: net.space Title: Re: Saving the Shuttle External Tank Article-I.D.: watcgl.281 Posted: Wed Mar 23 11:16:40 1983 Received: Thu Mar 24 06:17:50 1983 References: alice.1568 uofm-cv.158 floyd.1297 eagle.830 grkermit.305 Wait a minute. grkermit!eagle said something about the orbiter somehow flinging the ET into a higher orbit or something just before re-entry and that a bunch of ETs could be ridgidly connected to create a large structure of modules for space stations. This would undoutedly be some kind of a lattice structure of ETs but since I just finished reading Larry Niven's "Ringworld" last week eagle's mention of connecting ETs together conjured up a picture in my mind of a ring of ETs around the earth all connected together from which some platform could be built so as to support human life and activity in a manner similar to Niven's Ringworld. I believe that Ringworld discussions have already run the gamut on net.space so I don't want to stir up any old and molding discussions about such possibilities but if anyone out there has any string feelings or opinions on this please mail me, I would like to hear from you. If any of you founding members of net.space feel that it is time to start or restart Ringworld discussions and that it would be of general interest to the net then do so, I would be happy to join in. ~p MAB (...!decvav!utzoo!watmath!watcgl!mabgarstin) P.S.-that should read "...strong feelings..." not "...string feelings.."