Postscript
A Path To Space For Mankind
Why does Man Push to Explore Space
It is the same push that took the Romans to Britain and the Europeans to America,
to explore, to find riches and to expand.
Positive by-products of these pushes included improvements to ships, to methods
for food storage, to time keeping and to navigation. Others were the discovery of
new foods and medicines and some principles of good nutrition.
There were negative aspects to exploration stemming from the competition between
nations for discovery and conquest such as war and the creation of opportunities for piracy.
The Broad Concept of our Recommended Path
Put the emphasis for the development of future space exploration, and the money,
on safety,
efficiency and synergy with bettering life on Earth.
Don't rush to be the first nation to put a man on Mars or another man on the Moon.
Rather put resources first into unmanned approaches that will enhance the safety
and efficiency of manned exploration and the safe return of the explorer.
Nations should be encouraged to work cooperatively on this approach. Man's
track record in this regard is not great but it seems to be improving a little.
A prime example of improvement has been the cooperation between some nations to
construct and operate the International Space Station.
Synergy from Improved Energy Capture and Storage
Energy from the sun sustains life on Earth. More efficient energy capture from Sun radiation and improved
systems for energy storage could provide a great boost to the Greening
of Earth, the longevity of Satellites and Landers, and to the ease and safety of space travel
and colonization. Today some are looking toward fusion as a prime energy
source for mankind. Such expectation may or may not be a pipe dream.
Efficient energy capture and storage can lead to satellites with improved power sources, much
greater life expectancies and smarts and could provide for less costly maintenance
of Earth's systems of communication, navigation and surveillance.
The by-product of improved satellites would be the ability to surround the Moon or Mars with such satellites,
and together with greatly improved and smart Landers,
to set up GPS-like navigation systems and surveillance systems to improve the safety and efficiency of man's future landings by providing the
availability of fine grain terrain mapping and fine grain navigation.
Fine grain mapping could lead to the discovery of possibilities for obtaining
water and energy at particular sites and corresponding focused Lander exploration
as a prelude to a manned landing.
Other Synergisms
Improvements to the recycling of Man's human by-products would make both
for a greener earth and for more prolonged existence in a manned space vehicle, Lander or Habitat.
Improvements to the longevity of and recycling of all that Man manufactures
would contribute to both sustaining life on Earth and to the feasibility of space
exploration.
The creation of green portable energy on Earth that can be transported
to space.
Methods to efficiently obtain energy from raw materials on Earth, on our Moon or on Mars.
Methods to create food for Man from raw materials on Earth, on
our Moon or on Mars.
The authors