Have you estimated how much energy would be needed to accelerate an appropriate share of the mass needed for construction and how much mass and energy might be provided by nearby systems? I’m wondering how much overhead would be required, in addition to that directly involved. (Construction of appropriate accelerating structures, the construction bots, mining to build the latter, etc.)
In Y11K it should be “easy” to handwave overheads that seem reasonable, but I’m wondering if individual inhabited systems might be unwilling or even unable to contribute a significant amount as opposed to systems which were being “strip mined”.
ETA: presumably the project would take centuries, involving many systems along the initial flight path. Perhaps the availability of systems with appropriate resources might even determine that path.
ETA 2: if a particular path or direction is important, finding appropriate initial systems might be a substantial project in itself. Of course, again, it wouldn’t be too hard to handwave that search.
In Y11K it should be “easy” to handwave overheads that seem reasonable, but I’m wondering if individual inhabited systems might be unwilling or even unable to contribute a significant amount as opposed to systems which were being “strip mined”.
ETA: presumably the project would take centuries, involving many systems along the initial flight path. Perhaps the availability of systems with appropriate resources might even determine that path.
ETA 2: if a particular path or direction is important, finding appropriate initial systems might be a substantial project in itself. Of course, again, it wouldn’t be too hard to handwave that search.
Selden