Nonstopdrivel
13 years ago

Death Star Costs $15.6 Septillion, 1.4 Trillion Times the US Debt 

If you had $15.6 septillion and 94 cents in your account, would you save the world from the economic crisis or build a Death Star, destroy the world, and move on to invade the galaxy?

A guy called Ryszard Gold -- who probably is an alien villain from the Outer Rim planets and got a 49-point score in our Geek Social Aptitude Test -- made the calculation of the most basic Death Star's price with current materials and space transport costs here on Earth. Here's a quick summary:

• First, assume that 1/10 of the 17.16 quadrillion cubic meters of the Death Star is something other than empty space and 6/10 of the total volume is pressurized space.
• That will require 1.71 quadrillion cubic meters of steel, about 134 quadrillion tonnes. That's $12.95 quintillion in current 2008 prices, and that's without counting strange alloys and elements.
• Shipping that to space will cost $95 million per tonne: So add $12.79 septillion in transport.
• Now you need to add air, which will require 8.23 quintillion cubic meters of Nitrogen, and 1.65 quintillion cubic meters of oxygen, for a total delivery cost of $2.81 septillions and $212.46 quintillion.

The total: $15,602,022,489,829,821,422,840,226.94.

Yes, that's a whooping 1.4 trillion times the current US Debt. Or a sightly more meaningful number: 124 trillion years of war in Iraq.

That will only get you the very basic model of Death Star, no options, no GPS, no radio, no leather heated seats, no mega-laser to obliterate planets, no turbolaser towers, no computer systems, no miscellaneous life support systems, no crew quarters, no turbo-elevators, no energy generators, no showers, no air conditioning, no Darth Vader's jacuzzi, no Emperor's home theater system, and no bloody canteen. And don't get me started on the cost of all the lunch trays and the constant supply of penne all'arrabbiata and peas needed for all the Death Star personell*. That will probably double the final bill, coupled with the construction costs, for a total of more than $31 septillions.

As for the answer to the first question, there's no doubt about it. But then again, I always liked the Emperor's robe. He goes naked everywhere and nobody notices.

*


Rick Gold wrote:


UserPostedImage
Packers_Finland
13 years ago
If the emperor could afford two build TWO death stars, how big of a pimp daddy was he really, and where the hell did he get all that money?
This is a placeholder
Porforis
13 years ago
The costs of building the death star would be a very small fraction of that with the technology and access to a galaxy of resources that the Empire would have. The "cost" of materials on earth is so astronomical since we have such finite resources. Increase the number of planets from which to mine by thousands if not millions, cost dramatically decreases. Not that I'd imagine the death star would be made out of steel. Interesting quick read though.
Wade
  • Wade
  • Veteran Member
13 years ago
And if a society is at the level where they can contemplate building something like the Death Star, they've doubtless figured out how to mine the Asteroid Belt and similar "off-planet" sources of resources. And thus eliminated the single biggest cost of using planetary resources -- escaping the gravity well.

My guess is that alone would reduce the costs by 2-3 orders of magnitude and put the cost down into billions of times the US debt.

And of course if you add in the fact that a galactic empire could cover a few millions of planets to spread that debt among, and you're already down to a few hundreds of thousands of times the USA debt at most.

Now Dyson spheres on the other hand...they're something truly far out there in the sense of trillions and trillions of times as costly. [grin1]

Typical shabby journalism. Of course the notion that you could calculate such an estimate to the nearest penny, by itself, should have alerted everyone that it was a piece of shit estimate.

By the way, I'm still giving applause to the original poster. He's given me a great example to use if I get to teach the "economic numeracy" class I'm in the process of proposing.

[grin1]

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
Porforis
13 years ago

And if a society is at the level where they can contemplate building something like the Death Star, they've doubtless figured out how to mine the Asteroid Belt and similar "off-planet" sources of resources. And thus eliminated the single biggest cost of using planetary resources -- escaping the gravity well.

Originally Posted by: Wade 



And if you already have one death star, find a particularly material rich planet, blow it up, and mine it that way. 🙂
zombieslayer
13 years ago

If the emperor could afford two build TWO death stars, how big of a pimp daddy was he really, and where the hell did he get all that money?

Originally Posted by: Packers_Finland 



You think taxes in Finland are high?

Anyways, applause point for NSD. Izzard is hilarious, but that was one of the funniest pieces I've ever see him do. Didn't see that one before.
My man Donald Driver
UserPostedImage
(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷
dfosterf
13 years ago

And if you already have one death star, find a particularly material rich planet, blow it up, and mine it that way. :)

Originally Posted by: Porforis 




Fuck a planet, how 'bout a whole star?

BPM37093, baby.

BPM37093- The diamond star 
Porforis
13 years ago

Fuck a planet, how 'bout a whole star?

BPM37093, baby.

BPM37093- The diamond star 

Originally Posted by: dfosterf 



If you already had a roughly spherical object made of diamond and intended to construct a death star out of diamonds, it would make a hell of a lot more sense to not blow it up. Or you could just mount a giant catapult to your death star and fling BPM37093 at your enemies.
dfosterf
13 years ago

If you already had a roughly spherical object made of diamond and intended to construct a death star out of diamonds, it would make a hell of a lot more sense to not blow it up. Or you could just mount a giant catapult to your death star and fling BPM37093 at your enemies.

Originally Posted by: Porforis 




OR you could get two young ladies that were about to be married at the same time to fight over the mounting of BPM37093 and we could witness the implosion of our entire solar system centered on the winning ho's wedding ring finger top joint, plausibility highly dependent on groom bankroll. 🤣


alharrisdude31
13 years ago

Fuck a planet, how 'bout a whole star?

BPM37093, baby.

BPM37093- The diamond star 

Originally Posted by: dfosterf 


Where was this when I proposed? Damn lazy NASA bastards should be aiming this to land in my back yard.
Fan Shout
dfosterf (14-Jul) : *analysis* gettin' old
dfosterf (14-Jul) : One of the best analyisis I"ve ever watched at this time of an offseason
dfosterf (14-Jul) : Andy Herman interviewed Warren Sharp on his Pack a day podcast
packerfanoutwest (10-Jul) : Us Padres fans love it....But it'll be a Dodgers/Yankees World Series
Zero2Cool (9-Jul) : Brewers sweep Dodgers. Awesome
Mucky Tundra (6-Jul) : And James Flanigan is the grandson of Packers Super Bowl winner Jim Flanigan Sr.
Mucky Tundra (6-Jul) : Jerome Bettis and Jim Flanigans sons as well!
Zero2Cool (6-Jul) : Thomas Davis Jr is OLB, not WR. Oops.
Zero2Cool (6-Jul) : Larry Fitzgeral and Thomas Davis sons too. WR's as well.
Mucky Tundra (5-Jul) : Kaydon Finley, son of Jermichael Finley, commits to Notre Dame
dfosterf (3-Jul) : Make sure to send my props to him! A plus move!
Zero2Cool (3-Jul) : My cousin, yes.
dfosterf (3-Jul) : That was your brother the GB press gazette referenced with the red cross draft props thing, yes?
Zero2Cool (2-Jul) : Packers gonna unveil new throwback helmet in few weeks.
Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : I know it's Kleiman but this stuff writes itself
Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : "Make sure she signs the NDA before asking for a Happy Ending!"
Mucky Tundra (2-Jul) : @NFL_DovKleiman Powerful: Deshaun Watson is taking Shedeur Sanders 'under his wing' as a mentor to the Browns QBs
Zero2Cool (30-Jun) : Dolphins get (back) Minkah Fitzpatrick in trade
Zero2Cool (30-Jun) : Steelers land Jalen Ramsey via Trade
dfosterf (26-Jun) : I think it would be great to have someone like Tom Grossi or Andy Herman on the Board of Directors so he/they could inform us
dfosterf (26-Jun) : Fair enough, WPR. Thing is, I have been a long time advocate to at least have some inkling of the dynamics within the board.
wpr (26-Jun) : 1st world owners/stockholders problems dfosterf.
Martha Careful (25-Jun) : I would have otherwise admirably served
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Also, no more provision for a write-in candidate, so Martha is off the table at least for this year
dfosterf (25-Jun) : You do have to interpret the boring fine print, but all stockholders all see he is on the ballot
dfosterf (25-Jun) : It also says he is subject to another ballot in 2028. I recall nothing of this nature with Murphy
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Ed Policy is on my ballot subject to me penciling him in as a no.
dfosterf (25-Jun) : I thought it used to be we voted for the whatever they called the 45, and then they voted for the seven, and then they voted for Mark Murphy
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Because I was too lazy to change my address, I haven't voted fot years until this year
dfosterf (25-Jun) : of the folks that run this team. I do not recall Mark Murphy being subject to our vote.
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Ed Policy yay or nay is on the pre-approved ballot that we always approve because we are uninformed and lazy, along with all the rest
dfosterf (25-Jun) : Weird question. Very esoteric. For stockholders. Also lengthy. Sorry. Offseason.
Zero2Cool (25-Jun) : Maybe wicked wind chill made it worse?
Mucky Tundra (25-Jun) : And then he signs with Cleveland in the offseason
Mucky Tundra (25-Jun) : @SharpFootball WR Diontae Johnson just admitted he refused to enter a game in 41° weather last year in Baltimore because he felt “ice cold”
Zero2Cool (24-Jun) : Yawn. Rodgers says he is "pretty sure" this be final season.
Zero2Cool (23-Jun) : PFT claims Packers are having extension talks with Zach Tom, Quay Walker.
Mucky Tundra (20-Jun) : GB-Minnesota 2004 Wild Card game popped up on my YouTube page....UGH
beast (20-Jun) : Hmm 🤔 re-signing Walker before Tom? Sounds highly questionable to me.
Mucky Tundra (19-Jun) : One person on Twitter=cannon law
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : Well, to ONE person on Tweeter
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : According to Tweeter
Zero2Cool (19-Jun) : Packers are working on extension for LT Walker they hope to have done before camp
dfosterf (18-Jun) : E4B landed at Andrews last night
dfosterf (18-Jun) : 101 in a 60
dfosterf (18-Jun) : FAFO
Zero2Cool (18-Jun) : one year $4m with incentives to make it up to $6m
dfosterf (18-Jun) : Or Lions
dfosterf (18-Jun) : Beats the hell out of a Vikings signing
Zero2Cool (18-Jun) : Baltimore Ravens now have signed former Packers CB Jaire Alexander.
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2025 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
COMMANDERS
Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
Browns
Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
Cowboys
Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
BENGALS
Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
Cardinals
Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
PANTHERS
Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
EAGLES
Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
Giants
Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
Bears
Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
RAVENS
Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
Vikings
Recent Topics
9h / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

16h / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

14-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

14-Jul / Community Welcome! / lijog

10-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

10-Jul / Around The NFL / Zero2Cool

6-Jul / Random Babble / Martha Careful

4-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

2-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

2-Jul / Fantasy Sports Talk / dfosterf

1-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

29-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

25-Jun / Around The NFL / Martha Careful

23-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

20-Jun / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.