Rocket Science for Earthlings 45
a continuing series for the gravitationally impaired
Delta Vee, the change in velocity, what a rocket does, is the ISP of the engine (the efficiency) times the natural log of the Mass Ratio (the efficiency of the structure). Which means every thing depends on how efficient you make the rocket. There is of course a limit to everything. We can go to more exotic engine systems and we can spend huge amounts of money to reduce the weight of vehicles, but, for any vehicle launched from Earth there is going to be a limit to how far you can go and what you can do in space. To go farther and do more you have to develop and use the resources available in space. You have to start building rockets and manufacturing fuel and oxidizer or nuclear materials in space at the locations you need to use them. To do that you have to develop factories and towns and civilizations in space. To do that you have to get beyond the "science missions only" philosophy of NASA. You have to get past NASA.