Ladies And Gents, Your New Geek Icon... Bobak Ferdowsi

[filkertom]

Otherwise known as "NASA's Mohawk guySo, what do you want next from the space program? I think it's time to seriously start looking at a permanent moonbase with a civilian population, within fifteen years. (Newt Gingrich did it as an applause line, and to fool people into thinking he's a futurist. I'm doing it because we need to start expanding

Comments

[jeffr23]

Space is a terrible place for people. (Or, in other words, people are a terribly poorly-adapted species for space.) Until we get brain uploads or massive genetic engineering up and running, let's leave it to the robots.

And the next thing I want from the robots is to send some up to move an asteroid from the belt to somewhere closer, like orbit around Earth or the Moon. And drop rovers on each Jovian moon.

[ldyerzsie]

Actually, as long as you don't intend to reproduce, it's fine. I'll even volunteer.

[jeffr23]

There's also the bone degeneration thing, which may well turn out to be even worse than 'you can't ever go back to full gravity'.

But even beyond that, having humans on the ship or base adds a phenomenal load to the project's mass budget to support them staying alive in the hostile environment. And there's really not even remotely any value to having meatsacks around that can't be matched and probably bettered, by robots and remotes.

And as far as the extend-the-habitat/eggs-in-one-basket thing goes, well, then you do need to be able to reproduce. And have a hope in hell of full-on self sufficiency. Which isn't going to happen unless we terraform Mars [a project with a duration in centuries] or engineer space-adapted people [ditto, even if we collectively end up okay with the ethics of HGE, which isn't a given.]

[siliconshaman]

Actually, from what I've been reading, they've got the bone thing licked.. [that sounds so wrong!] Combination of drugs and daily exercise in a gyro-cycle [that's like a bike fixed into a circular frame, you pedal and it spins] and you can pretty much stop bone degeneration dead.

Now, hard radiation damage, that's more of a problem. Something NASA rather wouldn't talk about is the incident rate of cancer in former astronauts. But at 10-20 years down the line it's way higher than the general population.

[acelightning]

They'd damned well better put a civilian base on the Moon ASAP! We probably aren't going to be able to hold WorldCon 2017 on the Moon after all... but I still want a cool venue for my 100th birthday party in 2047 :-D

[redaxe]

Luna City would be good. A manned mission to Mars with the idea of preparing for permanent habitation is also good. (Reminder to self: reread Red Mars.) Even manned stations at the Lagrange points would be a good next step. ("Where microwaves play down at three degrees K, and the cold virus never evolved!")

I have no problem with robotic exploration, but we need to get back on track in expanding man's habitat. And if we just so happen to make additional significant medical, materials, and computer advances as a result, even people opposed to manned space exploration are welcome to share in the benefits.

[sdelmonte]

1. More probes to the planets. And smaller ones, since as much as I love Curiosity, a fleet of smaller rovers would be able to do a lot more for the same money if done right. Landers specifically to the Jovian moons

[siliconshaman]

It's not as sexy or popular an idea.. but I say we need an orbital ship yard, possibly an expansion of the ISS, or something in a better orbit.

I mean, we need somewhere to build these big long-range ships, right? A lunar mining camp and mass driver for the structural aluminium would be good too. You could save a lot on rocket fuel that way.

And hey, if we're going to be up there, lunar farside observatory would be a useful thing. You could do a lot of useful science away from all Earth's noise... it'd be worth it just to mount a Space Watch outpost for N.E.O asteroids. [it only takes one impactor to really ruin your day!]

[siliconshaman]

To you and I, yes.. but to Joe.Q.Public who's not a space geek, it's no moon landing. Mind you, even manned planetary missions wouldn't have the same 'pull' nowadays, most of the public are more interested in Jersey Shore.

A more damming indictment of modern society I can't think of.

[capplor]

Why not put up a space elevator & have the Ship yard be part of what's at the upper end? Ecuador would love the stimulus to their economy.