I'm going to patent the process of applying for patents!
Seriously, what is this madness? It's not like I needed further encouragement to vote for the Pirate Party.
As for the destination, the moon and Mars are the obvious choices, but what else would make sense?
For our first colony, the Moon or Mars makes sense. The Moon would be the easier choice, while Mars would be much farther away and perhaps be more interesting for that and other reasons. Ganymede or the other two big icy moons of Jupiter would be interesting too. Or maybe the first mission to establish a mining operation on an asteroid?
How long would it take to get there?
Depends. The Moon, a few days. Mars, with current technology around six months, although that could be reduced if you use plasma propulsion for example.
What could be the goals of the mission?
Maybe a precursor/pathfinder mission to prepare for the following big colony missions? Or maybe just a research base?
Any events or tasks that could punctuate an otherwise predictably boring long trip?
Just from our space missions there are a number of problems that has occurred in reality. Problems with heating or cooling, explosions, fires, collisions between ships, problems with carbon-dioxide scrubbing, loss of attitude control... The problems alone that can come up are many, if you add in the danger of space flight, the human factor, computer hardware/software failures. Also, radiation, micrometeorites, the effect of low G on the human body, the possible effects psychologically of living for months in a confined space far away from home, etc.
Tasks could include course alterations, scientific experiments and observations, daily maintenance, etc.
Any possible sightseeing for beautiful VFX shots?
On Mars of course you have the Valles Marineris, Olympus Mons, dried up floodbeds, craters, volcanoes, dust deviles, the annual dust storm that pretty much covers up the entire planet... etc. If you establish a base on one of Mars's two moons, Mars itself would be prominent and probably a beautiful sight in the sky. On the Moon, all kinds of interesting things. Mountains, craters, maria, etc.
What would be the crew?
I'm thinking international, no matter if it's a government project or entirely private endeavour. Men and women, of course. For the establishment of a research base, I would have only adults. Could be different on a larger colony mission of course. Artificial intelligence would be part of it, whether it's the ship's computer, robots or intelligent systems built-in in the spacesuits for example.
You really believe that, don't you? Of course it will be a flagship. Doesn't mean real science is out of the question. Did you really dismiss what I said about the science return being great? The Apollo project was a flagship ofcourse. But it's impossible to say that it didn't contribute tremendously to our understanding of the Earth-Moon system... unless you're ignorant or have intentions of misleading the ignorant. Which is it?
A scientific Lunar base will be a place of exploration and science. It can be a national flagship or whatever, but you really should not say that it can't therefore do real science.
I'm tired of this attitude. How about humans never going anywhere? After Leif Ericsson landed in the North America, what was the point of going there again? Why did we ever leave Africa? Sure, once or twice, that's cool. But you know the most insightful and not at all casually and mindlessly used saying; "Been there, done that".
We could and should do exploration in two stages, reconnaissance and field study. Robotic missions can be used to orbit new worlds to get the big picture, and to do some exploration on the site. But it's not enough. After you've done that, send in the scientists and the explorers, together with equipment, labs, rover vehicles and robots. They would stay on the ground, see things from a new perspective, be able to do real field science by seeing the landscape in the right context, to study rocks and formations that they find more or less by luck or from predictions based on robotic reconnaissance missions in combination with their observations from the ground. The science return would be immense.
And that's just one reason to go: Good science. There are other reasons to extend a human presence in the Solar System. One is the survival of our civilisation.
Interesting how we can afford that, but a couple of millions on something that can give great scientific return, increase our knowledge and wisdom, broaden our horizons and make us understand this cosmos better... that's much too expensive.
The public doesn't understand science. They don't understand that our advanced technologies are based on our understanding of nature. They don't understand how scientific theories are formed, and they certainly don't understand the meanings of words like "fact" and "theory". What they believe is what they want to believe, and how true it is depends on how fervently they believe it.
There are people who strongly oppose scientific research on the grounds that it costs too much. Many of these people forget that the global annual military budget is exceeding $1 trillion. USA alone stands for half of that.
It will extend the availability, but sooner or later there will be too little left, even if every single piece of electronics is recycled, which will never happen. Sadly it seems we have gotten used to the idea of consuming things in the sense that we use it, then when it's used up we just throw it away, expecting to have infinite supplies to make new stuff. This delusion runs so deep that some people are offended by the idea of recycling.
With population growth and new countries wanting to raise their standard of living, we will run out of these elements even faster.
Anything that exists is as natural as anything else. That's what I'm saying. Maybe you just didn't care to read my post. Also, if ghosts exist, they too would be "natural", just like everything else! How is it even possible that this is somehow difficult to grasp?
Intelligence, I believe, could come in many different forms. It's not so that the only kind of intelligence is the human intelligence, using the exact same components we have in our brains. Or is there some sort of safeguard that protects the universe from the existence of conscious structures of matter unless they are humans?
"There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet. Its hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation may never come again." -John F. Kennedy
To prepare for national and military rivalry that does not yet exist out there, except for friendly competition, is to create those rivalries.
Here I was, hoping that maybe space exploration will be one thing that will finally bring us together in peace, for all humankind... Sometimes I think people *want* conflicts and rivalry. If the USA decides to take over and claim certain parts of the solar system, that's just going to make people lose whatever little respect they had for that nation.
Instead, why not set a good example, by bringing together all nations to some conference where you agree not to bring archaic national rivalry into space?
No military presence in space, please! We've had lots of it on this planet, and let me tell you, it's not bringing a whole lot of joy.
I agree. It's science fiction and should contain good science or speculative science based on real science. Otherwise one could write stories that takes place in another universe, of course.
Slashdot Mirror
I will convert whatever data I want into whatever format I need, and then use whatever software to open it in.
I'm going to patent the process of applying for patents! Seriously, what is this madness? It's not like I needed further encouragement to vote for the Pirate Party.
Radio or laser would be good methods to use.
For our first colony, the Moon or Mars makes sense. The Moon would be the easier choice, while Mars would be much farther away and perhaps be more interesting for that and other reasons. Ganymede or the other two big icy moons of Jupiter would be interesting too. Or maybe the first mission to establish a mining operation on an asteroid?
Depends. The Moon, a few days. Mars, with current technology around six months, although that could be reduced if you use plasma propulsion for example.
Maybe a precursor/pathfinder mission to prepare for the following big colony missions? Or maybe just a research base?
Just from our space missions there are a number of problems that has occurred in reality. Problems with heating or cooling, explosions, fires, collisions between ships, problems with carbon-dioxide scrubbing, loss of attitude control... The problems alone that can come up are many, if you add in the danger of space flight, the human factor, computer hardware/software failures. Also, radiation, micrometeorites, the effect of low G on the human body, the possible effects psychologically of living for months in a confined space far away from home, etc. Tasks could include course alterations, scientific experiments and observations, daily maintenance, etc.
On Mars of course you have the Valles Marineris, Olympus Mons, dried up floodbeds, craters, volcanoes, dust deviles, the annual dust storm that pretty much covers up the entire planet... etc. If you establish a base on one of Mars's two moons, Mars itself would be prominent and probably a beautiful sight in the sky. On the Moon, all kinds of interesting things. Mountains, craters, maria, etc.
I'm thinking international, no matter if it's a government project or entirely private endeavour. Men and women, of course. For the establishment of a research base, I would have only adults. Could be different on a larger colony mission of course. Artificial intelligence would be part of it, whether it's the ship's computer, robots or intelligent systems built-in in the spacesuits for example.
Apparently this is not obvious to everyone.
That's one patent they can keep.
A scientific Lunar base will be a place of exploration and science. It can be a national flagship or whatever, but you really should not say that it can't therefore do real science.
I'm tired of this attitude. How about humans never going anywhere? After Leif Ericsson landed in the North America, what was the point of going there again? Why did we ever leave Africa? Sure, once or twice, that's cool. But you know the most insightful and not at all casually and mindlessly used saying; "Been there, done that".
We could and should do exploration in two stages, reconnaissance and field study. Robotic missions can be used to orbit new worlds to get the big picture, and to do some exploration on the site. But it's not enough. After you've done that, send in the scientists and the explorers, together with equipment, labs, rover vehicles and robots. They would stay on the ground, see things from a new perspective, be able to do real field science by seeing the landscape in the right context, to study rocks and formations that they find more or less by luck or from predictions based on robotic reconnaissance missions in combination with their observations from the ground. The science return would be immense.
And that's just one reason to go: Good science. There are other reasons to extend a human presence in the Solar System. One is the survival of our civilisation.
The public doesn't understand science. They don't understand that our advanced technologies are based on our understanding of nature. They don't understand how scientific theories are formed, and they certainly don't understand the meanings of words like "fact" and "theory". What they believe is what they want to believe, and how true it is depends on how fervently they believe it. There are people who strongly oppose scientific research on the grounds that it costs too much. Many of these people forget that the global annual military budget is exceeding $1 trillion. USA alone stands for half of that.
I want to live in a society that values not only money, but other things too. Science, art, education, healthcare. They all give something in return.
It's science. Tax money should be used for science. Do you think it's a waste to search for exoplanets too?
With population growth and new countries wanting to raise their standard of living, we will run out of these elements even faster.
Anything that exists is as natural as anything else. That's what I'm saying. Maybe you just didn't care to read my post. Also, if ghosts exist, they too would be "natural", just like everything else! How is it even possible that this is somehow difficult to grasp?
There's no such thing as the supernatural. Everything that exists, or is possible, is also as natural as everything else.
My workplace is haunted by the evil spirit of my alive boss.
Sure, if I get to have Becky.
I thought they already used the general relativity since it's a more accurate theory than Newtonian physics...
Intelligence, I believe, could come in many different forms. It's not so that the only kind of intelligence is the human intelligence, using the exact same components we have in our brains. Or is there some sort of safeguard that protects the universe from the existence of conscious structures of matter unless they are humans?
He needs to be controlled!
To encourage rivalry seems counterproductive if you want to simply prepare for them.
To prepare for national and military rivalry that does not yet exist out there, except for friendly competition, is to create those rivalries.
Here I was, hoping that maybe space exploration will be one thing that will finally bring us together in peace, for all humankind... Sometimes I think people *want* conflicts and rivalry. If the USA decides to take over and claim certain parts of the solar system, that's just going to make people lose whatever little respect they had for that nation.
Instead, why not set a good example, by bringing together all nations to some conference where you agree not to bring archaic national rivalry into space?
No military presence in space, please! We've had lots of it on this planet, and let me tell you, it's not bringing a whole lot of joy.
Anyway, I dream about building a space shuttle with Lego... real size, of course.
Why would this particular religion be bizarre while others are not? They're all mythologies with fairytales and fables anyway.
Because knowledge in and of itself is cool.
I agree. It's science fiction and should contain good science or speculative science based on real science. Otherwise one could write stories that takes place in another universe, of course.