Intermarkets' Privacy Policy
Support


Donate to Ace of Spades HQ!



Recent Entries
Absent Friends
Bandersnatch 2024
GnuBreed 2024
Captain Hate 2023
moon_over_vermont 2023
westminsterdogshow 2023
Ann Wilson(Empire1) 2022
Dave In Texas 2022
Jesse in D.C. 2022
OregonMuse 2022
redc1c4 2021
Tami 2021
Chavez the Hugo 2020
Ibguy 2020
Rickl 2019
Joffen 2014
AoSHQ Writers Group
A site for members of the Horde to post their stories seeking beta readers, editing help, brainstorming, and story ideas. Also to share links to potential publishing outlets, writing help sites, and videos posting tips to get published. Contact OrangeEnt for info:
maildrop62 at proton dot me
Cutting The Cord And Email Security
Moron Meet-Ups






















« Pre-emptive Warfare and the Viet Nam Effect(Kat-Mo) | Main | Bleg: McCain Phone Bank Tips »
October 26, 2008

NASA's Covered Wagon to the Stars

Somehow this stuff stopped exciting me after I went to college.

"This is the next generation of lunar exploration," said Doug Craig, NASA program's manager, as an astronaut took the vehicle for a spin over a broad lava field framed by craggy mountains [in Arizona].

The battery powered rover travels at speeds of up to 6 mph. It is part of a range of systems and equipment being developed by the space agency for its planned return to the moon over the next decade.

NASA hopes to build a permanent manned base on the moon's surface as a prelude to subsequent exploration missions to Mars. ...

The new prototype has a pressurized cab and is fitted out with leather seats and bunks. It would allow a crew of two astronauts to take extended exploration trips for up to two weeks at a time, covering distances of up to 625 miles, Craig said.

Prediction: Western Civilization's next great expansion isn't going to result from scrambling around in the regolith for two weeks at a time and permanent bases on the Moon and Mars aren't going to lead to extraterrestrial colonization.

If humanity ever does leave Earth, it will be in three situations: the first requires that science progresses beyond rocket, electric, and nuclear pulse propulsion. We're never going to be colonizing with present methods of travel. Establishing a base on the Moon isn't going to help with the needed scientific breakthroughs.

The second situation in which humanity leaves Earth is as a different kind of human. Face facts, the human body is not suited for interstellar travel. The solar system is hostile enough, but outside of the protection of the heliosphere interstellar radiation is going to make colonization or even exploration impossible. Again, the research necessary to adapt the human body to extraterrestrial travel, not to mention the colonization of alien biospheres, is not going to be conducted at Moon and Mars bases.

The third situation, of course, will be with both truly fantastic forms of travel and as-yet fictional adaptation to the human person.

*New headline stolen from commenter g, because I can.


digg this
posted by Gabriel Malor at 03:08 PM

| Access Comments




Recent Comments
pawn: ""It has everything to do with it. If you can't adm ..."

This is fine: "298 people who come in here talking about the GOP ..."

JackStraw: "..This is where abortion is today. No it's not ..."

Itinerant Alley Butcher: "Jill Stein flipped Michigan to Trump. Posted by: ..."

Martini Farmer: "> Just my opinion, but I think people will come ou ..."

This is fine: ". At least their staff is getting paid. Posted by ..."

Shenanigans: "people who come in here talking about the GOP voti ..."

Ace-Endorsed Author A.H. Lloyd: "So the movement has two options: understand the ne ..."

Anonosaurus Wrecks, Covfefe Today, Covfefe Tomorrow, Covfefe Forever![/s] [/b] [/u]: "Powerful Trump ad. https://is.gd/uUSg8L ..."

Wenda: "Are we sure it's Ron Paul and not his son Rand Pau ..."

Itinerant Alley Butcher: ">>> Just my opinion, but I think people will come ..."

Stateless: "My 88 year old mother, who has been doing well the ..."

Recent Entries
Search


Polls! Polls! Polls!
Frequently Asked Questions
The (Almost) Complete Paul Anka Integrity Kick
Top Top Tens
Greatest Hitjobs

The Ace of Spades HQ Sex-for-Money Skankathon
A D&D Guide to the Democratic Candidates
Margaret Cho: Just Not Funny
More Margaret Cho Abuse
Margaret Cho: Still Not Funny
Iraqi Prisoner Claims He Was Raped... By Woman
Wonkette Announces "Morning Zoo" Format
John Kerry's "Plan" Causes Surrender of Moqtada al-Sadr's Militia
World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading
Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree
Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)
Powered by
Movable Type 2.64