Space Exploration: Why it is Needed

Self | self

[Brett66]

Yeah, XCOR is making good progress. They seem to have the big name talent (Rutan) and I don't even think they're planning on competing in the X-Prize. A good sign IMHO, they want to get in on space tourism on it's own merits, not because of the prize.

[Frank_Discussion]

"Although Mars may be as barren as our SouthWestern deserts, I don't think our military will learn much about defending our borders on an uninhabited planet."

Actually, materials science would benefit greatly in meeting the demands of long-term Mars habitation. So would life support systems. The military could use that as a logistical advantage. But you are probably right: I don't see war tactics or strategy changing via Mars exploration.

[RightWhale]

I might be willing to buy you a ticket for a vacation at the Lunar Hilton just to get you out of the house for a while. You can ride the Lunar Maglev. Maglev will be part of the lunar settlement from the beginning because that's where Maglev will get its best or at least its highest use.

[Willie Green]

I might be willing to buy you a ticket for a vacation at the Lunar Hilton just to get you out of the house for a while.

OK, you pay for the ticket and I'll fly to the moon.
But my guess is that I needn't be in any hurry to pack my bags.

[Frank_Discussion]

"I don't think going to Mars is all that important in the establishment of a true spacefairing capability."

I would say that it CAN be, but there are other routes to true capability. The tech development for robust Mars-related systems would be a shot in the arm. However, I agree that the better idea is as you propose.

"We need to:
1. Get the costs of transport to LEO down to reasonable levels."

Flight volume will drive that. Southwest Airlines is cheap to fly because of rapid-fire flight schedules and raw enthusiasm.

"2. Establish a LEO space tourism industry."

In work! Just keep watching.

"3. Establish tourism and mining operations on the moon."

The Moon Society (aka Artemis Society) is hard at work on this, and as a member I can tell you that there has been forward momentum all the way.

"The revolution is underway, it just doesn't make headlines, but it is going to shock a lot of people when it starts rolling."

Big 'ol Ditto!

[RightWhale]

No, it won't be this weekend. Probably not this century. They will have a Maglev, though. When we designed a moon mining base in engineering class a 1/4 century ago, there was a Maglev in the design. Yeah, we knew about it then.

[discostu]

The why's are simple. Someday the big yellow thing in the sky with either blow up or go out. Before then it's entirely possible another "dinosaur killer" will fall from the sky. If human civilization hasn't spread beyond our solar system by the time the big yellow thing stops working then it was all pointless. All of our art, science, political experiments, philosophy and religion is 100% meaningless if we don't get off the rock. This should be goal #1 of every society, because solving all other goals means nothing if we're still rockbound when the rock goes away. Solving poverty and crime and disease and every other malady of mankind means nothing if there is no more mankind. If we get off the rock then we have all the time in the universe to solve these problems.

[techcor]

Sure I'll give you the answers but nobody listens. First, understand that nuclear waste really isn't a problem http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/research/1998/6/nuclear_waste_works/.
Then go to google and search on hafnium 178 or on "nuclear isomers". Right now the initial really good reports on hafnium 178 haven't been confirmed but you need to understand the theory that light (x-rays) may be able to stimulate emmission of radiation from metastable isomer sources. This is really big . Sort of a "poor man's" anti-matter.
Since you'll be discouraged by hafnium not being confirmed as a power source go search on "Two weeks to Mars" or "americium-242m". Americium 242m is a metastable isomer that is self-fissile meaning it doesn't need large rods gathered together like plutonium. Only a small strip of this metal will produce radioactivity. It is about 100 times as powerful as plutonium. If you really search you'll find a couple of scientists have already worked out how reactors can be configured to have half of their output as americium 242m.

So to sum up. Nuclear waste is cleanable. Reactors could be built to produce Am242m . Americium 242m can be used to power a rocket. And if Am242m proves to be able to be stimulated by photons, then it could prove to be as powerful as we may need. That an allowing free enterprise to take over as in a Robert Heinlein novel and that should do it. Clean nuclear energy also solves global warming etc.

[anymouse]

We don't necessisarily need so much (government funded, i.e. taxpayer financed) space exploration, as we need a safe environment for privately financed space development to build a thriving space marketplace.

Why is it that even many conservatives think that socialism in space deserves a free pass? The laws of economics as well as physics still apply in space.

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Don't blame me. Blame Adam Smith.

In his seminal work The Wealth of Nations he discussed EXACTLY what the role of a federal government should be.

I think space exploration falls under two the the five or so catagories, Transportation and Defense.

Social Security and welfare BTW didn't make the list.

[anymouse]

I think space exploration falls under two the the five or so catagories, Transportation and Defense.

It is quite a reach to conclude that space "exploration" falls under the aspecies of national defense, other than ensuring a reliable transport mode for inter-contenental weapons delivery and for intellegence gathering satellites.

As for transportation, it is not the government's job to provide the transportation, only to regulate it so that it is safe and effective.

I'll concede that those limited roles in space are the necessary domain of the government (hardcore libertarians might even argue against those roles), but all other aspects of space should be left to the private sector.

Like every time we allow the government to encroach on the private sector in terrestrial industries, we should not be surprised when they screw it up forcing inefficiences, bad service and high prices.

[jimkress]

Although Mars may be as barren as our SouthWestern deserts

With the recent discovery of huge quantities of water on Mars (just beneath the surface), a better comparison would be to the central valleys of California. They were once deserts but today, with irrigation, provide most of the produce for America.

[jimkress]

The government builds a fort, you live near it or inside of it.

Fortunately, there don't appear to be any hostiles in space so we don't need the fort.

[StoneColdGOP]

Excellent job! I've been saying for the longest time that we need to get back into the business of manned space exploration, most significantly, AMERICAN settlement of Mars (forget going with the U.N. or letting Red China get there first... treaties be damned).

One aspect I'd add... The inspirational power it will have with young people. I missed the moon landing by eight years. I was born in 1977, and I've seen some pretty crazy s*** in my time, good and bad. The only significant one as far as space was seeing what happened to the Challenger. Not exactly inspiring. My generation, but especially my younger brother and sisters, need to see something PHENOMENAL, to compel them and their peers into things like aviation, astronomy, technology, etc.

Otherwise, where will tomorrow's explorers come from?

[Frank_Discussion]

It's called an analogy, Mr. Kress. :-)

I meant to say that one route is to establish a government-sponsored "safe haven", whatever that may be, for whatever the reason. Then commercial/private interests branch off from there.

As I said, that's not my first preference, but at it would at least be something. I'd applaud it if it was offered by NASA.

But, then again, go to XCOR's website and see the news: they've got a plan for suborbital adventure flights, and their technology is developing FAST. Space Tourism is growing in spurts - a Very Good Thing.