Re: Barack Obama Pits Space Explorers Against School Children

On 4 Dec, 01:12, "Jonathan" <wr...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Quadibloc" <jsav...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:b5bc10c0-2bb2-4af4-835b-f5fe5f4da761@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On Dec 3, 9:42 am, Ian Parker <ianpark...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I think I have dealt with that in another thread. I think personally
They may increase the risk to Earth slightly, but the overall risk to
humanity as a whole, once the colonies are independent of Earth, is
clearly lowered. But my expectation is, instead, that once the enemies
of freedom are faced with the reality that the total destruction of
freedom is beyond their power, they will be demoralized, rather than
redoubling their efforts. And because all our eggs are not in one
basket, the West's leaders can take a calmer and more determined
approach to threats.

It's pretty clear the military will lead the way into space.
The risk to earth from colonies are numerous. For one
their immense expense could drain our national budget.
Their military uses mean society would get little in return
aside from geopolitical advantages. And the notion
that colonies are somehow more sustainable, more
civilized and stable than an earthbound community is silly.

Just because they're designed by scientists only means
trouble, not a paradise. With the rigid military like
environments too small for democratic or market forces
to play out. And the emotional and psychological stress
of isolation, and I bet long tours of duty. I would think that
colonies would be rife with conflict and difficult as
possible to sustain.

I'm picturing a job somewhat like ..oh.. spending all day
underwater welding, for the military. So there's no
money, no fun and no place to go except back to work.
Great view, but otherwise a living hell.

Why do people seem to fantasize so much about
colonies?

Therin lies the horns of the dilemna. However you wrap it up space
colonists are going to have a lower standard of living than they would
expect on Earth. This is so even if you extrapolate and postulate
leaps of technology.

Space Solar Power may or may not be viable, but it is considerably
more viable than colonies. OK some people say they wish to colonize
space. I say colonize the deserts on Earth. Let us have SSP, let us
beam it down to the Mediterranean which we proceed to desalinate. Let
us have an O'Neill sized piece of land somewhere near Palmyra which we
proceed to irrigate. We also fill up the fountains in Damascus for
good measure.

Work it out. The total mass we would need at GEO would be small in
comparison to what we would need for an O'Neill colony. Now most
people, those without an axe to grind would try to increase their
standard of living. They would either stay put or go to Palmyra, they
would not think about going into space. That is not unless they had an
ideological axe to grind. Most people who came to America went because
they were promised a better life. The Pilgrim Fathers had, of course,
an axe to grind. Indeed it could be argued that the Pilgrim Fathers
are the reason for the hold which evangelical Christianity holds to
this day.

I have mentioned Iraq. Think about it this way. We do not want
Mayflowers leaving Baghdad, if they did a war in space would be
guaranteed.


- Ian Parker
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Barack Obama Pits Space Explorers Against School Children
    ... They may increase the risk to Earth slightly, ... The risk to earth from colonies are numerous. ... Genetics fills the static attractor. ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Large Space Colonies and Large Disasters
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  • Re: ...Nasa/Griffin LYING about Public Support for Moon/Mars Missions!
    ... we have an existence proof: the Earth. ... self-sufficient, so if we built a colony with the ... But of course I recognize that this says little about space colonies we ... I am not making the argument that space colonization is not ...
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  • Re: Large Space Colonies and Large Disasters
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    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: Why Colonize Space? Because We Are Dealing In Absolutes
    ... Let's see, we have the Earth, a two dimensional sphere, with a primary productivity depth measured in meters, inhabited by 6.5 billion idiots. ... A natural or manmade disaster strikes and the lucky survivors vow to start a new life on the moon where life holds fewer surprises. ... What is space if not a wilderness, ... I see you have a more realistic concept of what space colonies will be like than Mr. Bradford. ...
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