Why an Interstellar Workshop?

I won’t lie to you: even some of my space-minded friends think it’s a bit impractical to hold a workshop on sending robots and humans to other star systems. Mostly it’s about practicality: “We’re trying to keep SLS funded!” “It’s difficult enough getting to the moon!” “That’s science fiction!” Of course going to orbit with a heavy-lift launch vehicle or sending humans to the moon was once the stuff of science fiction, too.

But seriously: why talk about the stars when we’ve not yet sent humans beyond Earth orbit since 1972? We’ve got some robots out at the edge of the solar system, toying with the dust between the stars, and one machine is racing toward what used to be called the farthest planet, Pluto. Space travel is difficult. It’s expensive. We’re working on more near-term projects right now. And there are important, serious problems affecting our nation and our planet right now. All true. Practical concerns fill our days, and they're often serious.

So let's talk practically. We have energy concerns. Food production takes energy. Transportation requires energy. In fact, most of what we do, from communication to fertilizer production, requires energy of some sort, and energy is a problematic commodity because of its by-products (smog, smoke, and carbon dioxide for petroleum; radiation and thermal pollution for nuclear). A lot of petroleum can be found in unstable parts of the world that don't like the United States too much. And there are a lot of people in the world who would like to live as well as Americans, with access to plentiful food, clean water, and cheap energy. Energy from space can address that problem. The Earth receives 1,365 watts per square meter at this distance from the sun. We're starting to capture some of that energy on the ground, but that solar energy is filtered by our atmosphere, and the Earth rotates and puts up interesting weather (clouds), which block that energy. Solar energy in space is on all the time, and it's relentless. 

Our economy is dependent on satellites: communications, finances, weather reporting, military operations, resource management, ATM cards, air freight services, and many, many others. Do we need better satellites? Yes. And we need to improve our ability to get those satellites into space more cheaply. As my friend Les Johnson put it, "We [space advocates] have succeeded: our economy is now addicted to satellites." Take them away, and our economy would collapse. 

And while we're at it, if we can get satellites up there more inexpensively, we can do other things, like move dangerous asteroids out of the way. We don't want to end up like the dinosaurs. We don't want (as Robert A. Heinlein put it) "all our eggs in one basket." And while we're moving those asteroids, we might want to consider mining them for the metals and water that are inside them--for use in space or for eventual export to Earth. We have deep-pit mines the size of asteroids on our world, and they leak a lot of unpleasant things into our environment. It would be nice to do the mining out in space, on high-radiation rocks with no atmosphere or people around. Stop a mass extinction, clean up the environment: those are things humanity can support, yes? From an energy, environment, and economic perspective, long-term access to space is a practical activity. 

Yet we need to keep our eyes on the stars.

Our telescopes are discovering other worlds around other stars. Earth is not the only planet in the universe--eventually we might (I'd say will) discover that it is not the only one with life on it. We need to learn about that life because that's what we do. If it's intelligent life, we have even more challenges ahead, but a productive, challenge-minded humanity with a multi-world civilization would be much better able to cope with it than one world and limited horizons. Interstellar travel is the ultimate expression of humanity's willingness to challenge and improve ourselves. We can apply the lessons learned in exploring and using the resources of space to improve our home world. If we try to go, we will be saying as much about ourselves as if we stop.

Potpourri XLII

Let's see...what's lurking out there? Tell ya what, before I dive into the usual space, politics, and technobabble, some good news in the world of my e-niece, Morgan. On Saturday, Darlene the Science Cheerleader hosted a benefit for Morgan, presumably to help her family with her medical bills. The benefit raised $23,000! Gooooo, Dar! Staying tuned for further medical developments.

Tip o' the fedora to Tracy for this: Astronaut (not the singer) Tom Jones wrote an op-ed in the New York Post.

For those of you wondering what NASA has done for you lately, here's an excerpt from a press release on NASA's efforts to support environmental research:

NASA ANNOUNCES GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT AWARDS

WASHINGTON -- NASA has awarded $6.4 million in grants to institutions of higher education and not-for-profit education organizations nationwide to enhance learning through the use of NASA's Earth science resources.

Some good editorials in Jeff Foust's The Space Review:

• To boldly go: the urgent need for a revitalized investment in space technology---NASA long invested in development of advanced technologies, but in recent years that effort withered as the agency concentrated on plans to return to the Moon. John Mankins explains why it's necessary for NASA and the nation to reinvigorate its technology development efforts. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1377/1
• The god that failed---In the mid-1970s articles and books promised a grand future in the form of space colonies, a future that has not been realized. Dwayne Day looks back at one such description of such a future, and why it hasn't happened. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1376/1
• Exchanging uncertainties---It appears increasingly likely that the White House will nominate someone for NASA administrator in the immediate future, solving one problem long identified by NASA's supporters. However, Jeff Foust notes that whoever is selected won't be able to make all the uncertainties surrounding the space agency go away. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1375/1
• NASA and the book of laws---Norm Augustine, picked by the White House to lead a new panel on the future of NASA's human spaceflight programs, is best known for promulgating a series of "laws" about management practices. Taylor Dinerman examines what those laws, and other experience by Augustine, could mean for the future of NASA. http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1374/1

Congressman Blair Holt's proposed bill to put additional restrictions on the Second Amendment. Or, as the bill's language puts it,

To provide for the implementation of a system of licensing for purchasers of certain firearms and for a record of sale system for those firearms, and for other purposes.

Sounds reasonable, but as the accompanying email noted,

Basically this would make it illegal to own a firearm. Any rifle with a clip or ANY pistol unless:

• It is registered
• You are fingerprinted
• You supply a current Driver's License
• You supply your Social Security #
• You will submit to a physical & mental evaluation at any time of their choosing
• Each update change of ownership through private or public sale must be reported and costs $25
• Failure to do so you automatically lose the right to own a firearm and are subject up to a year in jail.

Most of this is unnecessary and intrusive control of law-abiding citizens, since there are already laws on the books "preventing" criminals from purchasing weapons.

Another thought-provoking video from TED on "the sixth sense." Wow!

Boy, am I glad I read science fiction! It might be the only literature on Earth that helps the reader cope with "Future Shock." The techie in me says, "Way cool!" The neo-Luddite in me is thinking, "Uh oh, what next?"

Some additional thoughts from Scott on buying gold for that ugly rainy day at the end of civilization:

In your bullet point saying “Gold (http://www.swissamerica.com/ or http://www.golddealer.com/ were recommended to me at one point).” You might want to say “Currency, or something to use as currency. I mean the real thing, not paper or other fiat money. Everyone thinks of gold, which I recommend; but you’ll also want silver for those smaller purchases. When you buy a loaf of bread the seller may not be able to give you change from your 950-dollar (at today’s price) gold piece. Buy coins from a country people have heard of, don’t buy collector-grade, uncirculated, mint, or other coins priced at a premium, and don’t buy ingots as neither you nor your seller will know if they’ve been debased or not.”

New from Hu:

• The U.S. Army is looking at more Stryker brigades. The son of one of my managers back in NoVA was captain of a Stryker brigade. And from what I heard, his team was quite effective. Of course it helps to have the right people in command and on the ground...
• Some thoughts on the safety of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. This might be important reading, given that they're reported to be increasing their nuke stockpile.

Some interesting stats on the state of our education system/test scores.