The Philosophy of Space
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1325
Dennis Wingo
Sunday, May 10, 2009
With the advent of the Augustine Commission II an opportunity has arisen for a discussion on the philosophy of space. Therefore the purpose of this missive is to look at where many in society see our future going, and to show where space either supports the positive aspects or negates the negative ones. Without this connection, we have no future in space for human spaceflight and the drums of doom will continue to sound over our world.
Why Space?
The reason for human spaceflight beyond the pure adventure is as old as mankind, moving outward to build a better life and make money. Obtaining riches for God and country as well. To put it in the modern vernacular it would be to "save the planet", which really means save the humans on the planet. I have the February 29, 2009 copy of the magazine, New Scientist on my desk. The front cover has the words "Earth 2099" and following it the words
Population Crashes
Mass Migration
Vast New Deserts
Cities Abandoned
Sounds like fun huh. The entire issue is about how climate change, resource depletion, and over population leads to a secular Malthusian apocalypse of civilization and that the only solution is to radically scale back the scope of our current civilization in order to insure the survival of much reduced humanity. This mindset goes back in the modern era to the book 'Limits to Growth' by Meadows (who was just honored by the Japanese Emperor for his work in this area), that itself was a result of a study carried out by a group of European banking and corporate executives called the Club of Rome.
It turns out that a well known space advocate, Dr. David Webb, mentor to people like Peter Diamadis, myself, and an entire new generation of space advocates, was on the committee that funded this study. Dr. Webb asked them after the study, "why they did not consider the resources of space as a possible solution to the problems that the study illustrated" (there was a single dismissive paragraph in the book about space resources)? The answer was that these bankers and executives (in 1968) did not believe that there were any resources and that they could be accessed if there were. Dr. Webb at that time (as related to me in the late 1980's) dedicated his life to the education of our new generation of space advocates in order to counter this mindset.
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You may enjoy reading the rest of the article and how the whole picture could change if space was developed. The year 2100 might be a much more prosperous future than the 2099 one painted above.
- LRK -
If you read the article you might also enjoy the comments at NASA Watch.
http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/2009/05/dennis_wingo_wh.html
- LRK -
When we go back to the Moon I was wondering if we could boil some of the Lunar Ice, yet to be found at the lunar poles. Well just boiling water you made might preset a problem.
Here is one solution that is being considered and some of you may find this close to what you are working on as well.
- LRK -
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Wake up and smell the coffee -- on the Moon!
05.15.2009
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/15may_stirling.htm?list965414
*May 15, 2009:* Have you ever wondered how you'd make your morning cup of java if you lived on another planet, or perhaps the moon? That steaming beverage would be a must on a cold lunar morning.
But with rare sunlight, no coal or wood to burn, and no flowing water for hydro-electrical power, how would you make that cup of coffee, much less cook breakfast, heat your abode, and power the life support equipment and tools you needed to live and work up there?
NASA, planning for a future lunar outpost, has been asking those same questions lately.
There's more than one way to generate power on the moon. Fission Surface Power is one of the options NASA is considering. If this method is chosen, an engine invented in the early 1800s by Scottish brothers Robert and James Stirling could help make it work.
[*Editor's note:* If you have questions about this technology, please contact Marshall Space Flight Center Public Affairs at 256 544 0034.]
The Stirlings were so proud of their creation that they made it their namesake – and with good reason. Over the years the Stirling engine -- the reliable, efficient "little engine that could" -- has earned a sterling reputation here on Earth, and it may one day prove its worth on the moon.
"Inhabitants of a lunar outpost will need a safe and effective way to generate light and heat and electricity," says Mike Houts of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. "The tried and true Stirling engine fits the bill. It's not only reliable and efficient, but also versatile and clean."
NASA is partnering with the Department of Energy to develop Fission Surface Power technology to produce heat and feed it into a Stirling engine, which, in turn, would convert heat energy into electricity for use by moon explorers.
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And while I was away visiting friends in Las Vegas, NV and seeing the Grand Canyon south rim in Arizona, Snoopy celebrated his 40th anniversary of going to the Moon.
- LRK -
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http://www.space.com/entertainment/090515-apollo-snoopy.html
Snoopy Celebrates 40th Anniversary of His Moon Flight
By Jeremy Hsu Staff Writer
posted: 15 May 2009
10:27 am ET
Snoopy, the irreverent dog from the "Peanuts" comic strip, took time from his World War I dogfights as world-famous flying ace to become a world-famous astronaut for NASA's Apollo 10 mission.
The beagle now has a 5-foot-tall statue at Florida's Kennedy Space Center to commemorate the flight, which launched 40 years ago this month and arrived at the moon on May 21, 1969. That's when the /Snoopy/ lunar module and the 'Charlie Brown' command module entered lunar orbit. Apollo 10 paved the way for Apollo 11 to land men on the moon .
"It went down in his life as one of the all-time highlights of his career," said Craig Schulz, son of Charles Schulz, the famed American comic strip writer who died in 2000.
The elder Schulz was reportedly thrilled when NASA contacted him prior to the 1969 mission, and approved the request despite "what-if" remarks from friends who worried about a possible mission disaster.
"His comment was that if the astronauts could risk their lives, he could risk his characters," the younger Schulz told 'SPACE.com'.
The Snoopy lunar module did not land on the moon. It was taken on the mission as a near-complete dress rehearsal for the Apollo 11 moon landing that would take place a few weeks later.
Snoopy's first foray with NASA dates back to the Apollo 1 fire which killed three astronauts in 1967. That event — which Snoopy was not involved in — eventually led NASA to approach Charles Schulz and ask for permission to use his character as the basis for a new safety award.
"NASA decided that they needed to come up with a safety program and wanted a mascot similar to Smokey the Bear," Craig Schulz said.
Charles Schulz then drew up a template for what has become the Silver Snoopy award pin. Each pin is flown in space on shuttle missions and presented by an astronaut to awardees who contribute to the success and safety of spaceflight operations.
Less than 1 percent of the NASA-related workforce have received the honor, which represents one of the highest and prestigious awards within the space agency and the broader industry.
Craig Schulz and the rest of the Schulz family recently donated the Snoopy statue to NASA to commemorate the Apollo anniversary. The Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, Calif., also has an exhibit detailing the Apollo 10 mission and Snoopy's space agency involvement on display through July.
As for the 'Snoopy' lunar module, it's still flying in space — the only Apollo module to ever get launched into a sun orbit.
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Lest we not forget, humans went to the Moon as well and tested the Lunar Module.on the Apollo 10 mission.
So close, but not to touch down, that would come next with Apollo 11.
- LRK -
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http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo10info.html
Apollo 10
Launched: 18 May 1969 UT 16:49:00 (12:49:00 p.m. EDT)
Lunar Orbit: 21 May 1969
Returned to Earth: 26 May 1969 UT 16:52:23 (12:52:23 p.m. EDT)
Thomas P. Stafford, commander
John W. Young, command module pilot
Eugene A. Cernan, lunar module pilot
Apollo 10 Command Module "Charlie Brown"
Apollo 10 Lunar Module "Snoopy"
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Thanks for looking up with me.
Larry Kellogg
Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
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Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
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