Charles <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> posted: > What should humankind's priorities be with regard to space?
I think the #1 thing we should do is make it possible for commercial entities to succeed without having to depend on the government. Yes, the government should do certain things that businesses can't, but still.... > Exploit near-Earth asteroids to improve our quality of life This wouldn't be done to improve quality of life so much as it would be done to gain access to natural resources that are becoming increasingly hard to obtain on Earth. The asteroids offer great potential as sources of valuable heavy metals, for instance. > Planetary exploration Exploration in and of itself is worthy, but should be considered a means to an end and not an end in itself. > Establishing a base on the Moon This will probably be necessary as a prerequisite step for future explorations. For starters, as the lunar gravity well is only about 1/6 as strong as that of Earth, escaping it takes far less energy. It would also be easier to do some kinds of construction or materials synthesis in the Moon's vacuum, though the Moon does not have the microgravity of orbital space stations. (Lack of gravity is an advantage in some situations, but not in others.) > Stick with the space station concept The space station needs to be expanded and completed, probably as the first priority. It can be used as a point for further travel. > Quit wasting money on space exploration This concept that money invested in space exploration is wasted is a serious error. First, the money is not spent in space, it's spent on Earth.... > Use only unmanned vehicles Unmanned vehicles certainly have their place, but having humans on board gives mission planners alternatives simply not available if they are not. Best wishes and God bless, Lowell _______________________________________________ Sndbox mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://a8.mewebdns-a8.com/mailman/listinfo/sndbox_sandboxmail.net
