Re: Back to the moon? When?

On Nov 28, 8:41 am, simberg.interglo...@xxxxxxxxx (Rand Simberg)
wrote:
On Wed, 28 Nov 2007 06:26:33 -0800 (PST), in a place far, far away,
Quadibloc <jsav...@xxxxxxxxx> made the phosphor on my monitor glow in
such a way as to indicate that:

The approach to risk in space should be one that leaves no ambiguity,
but instead makes it resoundingly clear:

- the astronauts themselves are brave individuals who were willing to
face the hazards of space, and

- we, on the ground, did everything we could as best we could to get
them back safely.

Then space will remain forever unaffordable.

Perhaps I should have inserted the word "reasonable" in my second
point, then.

As long as space _is_ unaffordable, and astronauts are celebrities, we
do want people to have confidence that should anything untowards
happen, it won't be because of negligence bordering on the criminal.

I don't think that's an unreasonable thing for the general public to
ask.

I don't expect space to become so "affordable" that people from India
or China will be going there in "steerage" class - 10% to 30% risk of
fatality in exchange for a 90%+ cost savings. Thus, I didn't consider
that kind of situation in my comments.

If suborbital rocket plane rides are becoming 'affordable', maybe
eventually they'll be improved enough to make a rendezvous with an
aluminum/oxygen rocket launched from the Moon in LEO, or various other
approaches to improving rockets being tried will make a difference. I
don't expect them to be outrageously dangerous, but, yes, someone will
be the first to try a new approach believed to be suitable for sending
people up.

I'm not saying not to take risks, just that risks to human life are
always, even in the service of space, to be minimized (within reason),
always recognized as an undesirable, although to some extent
unavoidable, part of space exploration.

Risk is the enemy, not to be embraced.

John Savard
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Assign the blame: two hands at teams
    ... I don't care for East's balancing double--it seems too risky to me. ... realize that is the system bid). ... South risks going for a number and risks missing a superior ... I see no reason why West would bid anything but pass ...
    (rec.games.bridge)
  • Re: CHEAP, SAFE generator xfer switch? / slight topic change
    ... If it had been one of the power lugs, no way but this looked doable. ... or know how to improvise and insulate their tools when they don't have ... This is the reason you throw out the "Kids, ... One can get in to a dangeous level of comfort managing risks to the ...
    (rec.crafts.metalworking)
  • Re: Kryptonian birthing matrix what is it?
    ... relevant parts are composed of something other than Fragile Substance? ... do you remember that the classic rocket actually had ... sticking a test tube on the front of the rocket is a bit ... I don't see any reason to assume ...
    (rec.arts.comics.dc.universe)
  • Re: This is why Turtill is being a bitch
    ... That is the reason that makes most sense. ... path, and you narrowly avoided a collision with a youth on a mini bike, ... The risks are no greater than using a footway beside a road. ... If you care to look at the message ID you will see that I have an NTL cable modem connection whereas Tone does not. ...
    (uk.people.disability)
  • Re: up front designs always useless
    ... >Per the example above we have one reason not to delay a decision: ... >there is a measurable lead time - a delay between making the decision ... You need to look at the risks your project is facing and decide where YOU ...
    (comp.object)