Will Computers make Microgravity Research Obsolete?

It seems to me the greatest single flaw in our space program
has been the habit of putting the cart before the horse.
"If we build it they will come". A purpose will somehow
find it's way to any work space we put in orbit.
Or even a colony.

Like a business plan entitled "Keeping our Fingers Crossed".

But if it takes so long to build something like the ISS, or
a colony somewhere, how can we possibly know if the
original purpose is still relevant decades later when
the hardware is finally built?

And when it comes to profit-minded space goals, like mining
some colony. The time lag is even more destructive.

The final product of a space program must find the optimum
between maximizing generic usefulness and minimizing time
to completion.

In a market system the solution would be to pick a widely useful
commodity that is most likely to remain valuable into the future.

What commodity ...from space.. has almost universal applications?
While clearly growing in need and value over time?
And the appropriate hardware can be completed
in Apollo like time frames?

Energy, of course!

There's only one goal for NASA that fits like a glove. That can
connect space flight to one of the largest and most vital markets
on the planet, and in a practical way.

All that, while having a nice little spin-off called....

SAVING THE WORLD!


Jonathan

Laying the Foundation for Space Solar Power
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10202&page=1

Space-Based Solar Power As an Opportunity for Strategic Security
http://www.nss.org/settlement/ssp/library/nsso.htm

Space Energy Inc
http://www.spaceenergy.com/s/Default.htm

War Without Oil: A Catalyst For True Transformation

"Complicating the matter is a lack of professional consensus on
the actual expected date of global peak oil production, with
credible organizations such a ExxonMobil predicting that
the non-OPEC Hubbert's Peak will arrive within 5 years
and the U.S. Government claiming the planet's absolute peak
will occur somewhere around 2037"
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/cst/csat56.pdf




s

Well, maybe, but as anyone knows who has started a business with one goal,
often its a completely different thing that you end up making, doing or
whatever. As you say on the space front, the gestation time can be long and
the goals need to change dynamically.
While agreeing that you are picking a safe idea in energy, I'm by no means
sure that it will be competitive and may be overtaken by things like hybrid
nuclear and renewable down here on the planet.



Brian

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"Jonathan" wrote in message
...

It seems to me the greatest single flaw in our space program
has been the habit of putting the cart before the horse.
"If we build it they will come". A purpose will somehow
find it's way to any work space we put in orbit.
Or even a colony.

Like a business plan entitled "Keeping our Fingers Crossed".

But if it takes so long to build something like the ISS, or
a colony somewhere, how can we possibly know if the
original purpose is still relevant decades later when
the hardware is finally built?

And when it comes to profit-minded space goals, like mining
some colony. The time lag is even more destructive.

The final product of a space program must find the optimum
between maximizing generic usefulness and minimizing time
to completion.

In a market system the solution would be to pick a widely useful
commodity that is most likely to remain valuable into the future.

What commodity ...from space.. has almost universal applications?
While clearly growing in need and value over time?
And the appropriate hardware can be completed
in Apollo like time frames?

Energy, of course!

There's only one goal for NASA that fits like a glove. That can
connect space flight to one of the largest and most vital markets
on the planet, and in a practical way.

All that, while having a nice little spin-off called....

SAVING THE WORLD!


Jonathan

Laying the Foundation for Space Solar Power
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10202&page=1

Space-Based Solar Power As an Opportunity for Strategic Security
http://www.nss.org/settlement/ssp/library/nsso.htm

Space Energy Inc
http://www.spaceenergy.com/s/Default.htm

War Without Oil: A Catalyst For True Transformation

"Complicating the matter is a lack of professional consensus on
the actual expected date of global peak oil production, with
credible organizations such a ExxonMobil predicting that
the non-OPEC Hubbert's Peak will arrive within 5 years
and the U.S. Government claiming the planet's absolute peak
will occur somewhere around 2037"
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/cst/csat56.pdf




s