Re: SPACE: real development prospects

From: Spudboy100@aol.com
Date: Mon Jun 02 2003 - 11:04:09 MDT

  • Next message: S.J. Van Sickle: "Re: My Fears"

    <<Well, someone is bold enough to propose some really
    radical solutions that just might work.  See:

    The Failure of NASA: And a Way Out
    by Philip K. Chapman
    http://www.spacedaily.com/news/oped-03zn1.html

    Robert>>

    He's bold enough to propose his solutions, but after reading the 3 pages of
    the author's article, I get the feeling that they are less workable than he
    suggests.

    1) I believe the end of the Apollo project was due only to the lack of
    national compettiton from the USSR. Once the space race was won, public interest all
    but vanished.

    2) All these aerospace engineers are as good at economic estimates as I
    am-which is to say-negative.

    3) We need some primary breakthroughs, either in new inventions, or
    innovations
    the improvement of capability of already known technologies. Private
    industry, unless its got plenty of tax dollars headed its way, will not see the need
    to participate in space habitation.

    4) Because of the above listed factors, I suspect that his ACCESS replacement
    of NASA won't work, because the basic facts on the ground have not changed.

    Only technical development to make travel to space for industry, or the
    discovery of miracle materials-only available from the asteroids, Moon, or Mars;
    which will compel the private sector to invest, and invest mightily.

    So what is my answer? Breakthroughs, in engineering, materials science,
    chemical engineering, biological apps. Fund these, and commerical space travel and
    habitation will follow. Let the be underfunded, and we as a species will wait
    the decades it will take to achieve these advances, that comes from scientific
    pursuits, in the typical hap-hazzard way.

    Of course, if Chapman is correct, I will deny that I have ever spoke against
    him. This post will self-destruct in 3 seconds. Much quicker if it is already
    in your kill-file. Good Luck, Jim.



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