Growthbusters

We need to increase the overall space budget from its existing very small
amount http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=684 to at least
$ 100 billion / year.

It is unlikely that the public will vote for this increase. When money is
spent it must be spent in such a way that we get multiple returns, and
returns that are immediately useful, not something that will be of use in
the distant and vague future.

In fact 'Growthbusters '
shows where public concern lies. Can space research address these issues?

Clearly it could, if space enthusiasts only switched their priorities from
------> Launch Vehicles -------> large livable habitats -----> sustainable
food production in closed habitats:

to

Sustainable food production in closed habitats ------> successful social
life in closed habitats --------> then the rest.

Then space research would become immediately relevant. Do we have the
technology to recycle human and other waste to produce food and keep the
cycle going in a closed environment? How will plants fare in a closed
environment? Will we actually obtain increased yield by tinkering with the
atmosphere? Will pathogens be excluded to increase yield?

Another area where space research can help is by putting our dysfunctional
educational system in order. Evidently if we had a proper educational
system the problems highlighted in 'Growthbusters
' would not have occurred.
And the public would have been far more scientific in their outlook.

I doubt that there can be proper education without a proper context for
education to take place in. The American idea that education is important
so that Americans can 'compete successfully in the world economy' is hardly
likely to enthuse a child to become mesmerised by the wonders of science.

If we are to have a space based civilisation the quality of scientific
knowledge will have to be five times better than it is now. Why not then
rewrite the science text books from the perspective of an eventual space
based civilisation.

Part of the $ 100 billion can be used for this purpose, to alter the
trajectory of the present educational system.

Regards,
Selvaraj

On 3 October 2014 00:38, Al Globus alglobus@... [spacesettlers] <
spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

>
> On Oct 2, 2014, at 10:23 AM, Joe Strout joe@... [spacesettlers] <
> spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
> > I wonder what else we can do to disabuse this assumption that the Earth
> > is all there is?
>
> Talk to people! I find people hold NASA in very high regard and a
> significant minority of folks are very receptive to space settlement, space
> tourism (especially), etc.
>
> Yahoo Groups Links
>

http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=684
to at least $ 100 billion / year.
It is unlikely that the public will vote for this increase. When money is spent it must be spent in such a way that we get multiple returns, and returns that are immediately useful, not something that will be of use in the distant and vague future.
In fact '
Growthbusters
' shows where public concern lies. Can space research address these issues?
Clearly it could, if space enthusiasts only switched their priorities from ------> Launch Vehicles -------> large livable habitats -----> sustainable food production in closed habitats:
to
Sustainable food production in closed habitats ------> successful social life in closed habitats --------> then the rest.
Then space research would become immediately relevant. Do we have the technology to recycle human and other waste to produce food and keep the cycle going in a closed environment? How will plants fare in a closed environment? Will we actually obtain increased yield by tinkering with the atmosphere? Will pathogens be excluded to increase yield?
Another area where space research can help is by putting our dysfunctional educational system in order. Evidently if we had a proper educational system the problems highlighted in '
Growthbusters
' would not have occurred. And the public would have been far more scientific in their outlook.
I doubt that there can be proper education without a proper context for education to take place in. The American idea that education is important so that Americans can 'compete successfully in the world economy' is hardly likely to enthuse a child to become mesmerised by the wonders of science.
If we are to have a space based civilisation the quality of scientific knowledge will have to be five times better than it is now. Why not then rewrite the science text books from the perspective of an eventual space based civilisation.
Part of the $ 100 billion can be used for this purpose, to alter the trajectory of the present educational system.
Regards,
Selvaraj
On 3 October 2014 00:38, Al Globus
alglobus@...
[spacesettlers]
<
spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com
>
On Oct 2, 2014, at 10:23 AM, Joe Strout
joe@...
[spacesettlers] <
spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com
> wrote:
I wonder what else we can do to disabuse this assumption that the Earth
> is all there is?
Talk to people! I find people hold NASA in very high regard and a significant minority of folks are very receptive to space settlement, space tourism (especially), etc.
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