Throwing Down the Gauntlet

>
> These are just off the top of my head, but I think pretty much any of
> them is more likely to be successful, and far more closely tied to what
> progress we make toward space colonization, than setting up
> "sustainable villages" on Earth.
Above are ways that you
> can help push, if you really want to help out.
>
> Best,
> - Joe
>

Global Goals: Energy

To follow up on my letter of October '95 in which I requested proposals for global goals, I believe one worthy of consideration is solving all the world's energy problems for all time. Here is the plan:
One thousand solar-powered satellites in geosynchronous orbit (a home for former President Bush's thousand points of light) collect solar energy for subsequent transmission to receiving stations on Earth. The power is then either sent over high-voltage transmission lines, or used in the electrolysis of water to create hydrogen. This is
then fed into a piping distribution network for use in generating electricity in fuel cells, on in combustion to support transportation, home heating, etc.
Uranium is continuously being washed from land to be held in a state of suspended equilibrium. This powerful energy source can be retrieved from the sea and formed into a blanket surrounding a series of controlled micro-thermonuclear explosions. The neutron flux thereby created causes the dissociation of water into hydrogen and oxygen, and the transmutation of U-238 into plutonium. The hydrogen so generated is distributed as described above and the plutonium is used as fuel for commercial submarine nuclear power plants operating in a state of neutral buoyancy from offshore submerged concrete cocoons.
Slingatrons - first cousins of particle accelerators, magnetically levitated bullet trains and coil gun electromagnetic launchers - can be used not only to propel the high-level radioactive waste generated by nuclear power plant operation into a sun or moon
trajectory, but also to launch material into low Earth orbit for solar-powered satellite construction.
The satellite and nuclear power sources operate as central power stations; these are supplemented by local power stations using sources as geothermal plants, low-head hydro-plants, biomass plants, windmill farms, solar cell farms, etc.
To prepare for an asteroid impact comparable to the one thought to have exterminated the dinosaurs, the satellite receiving stations and concrete cocoons are placed at locations with a high survivability potential. Wireless power transmission from the submarine nuclear power plants to the satellite receiving stations will ensure
survival of the human race, along with its scientific and technical foundation, during the long interval of darkness.
All of the above elements, including concrete cocoons, have been discussed in reputable scientific and technical publications. The only unique concept is their union in a systematic framework. The Dirigo (deer-uh-go, meaning "I lead" and the motto of the State of Maine ) Energy Institute has been incorporated to coordinate the implementation
of this approach.
The processes described can continue until the sun expands into a red giant. When this happens - about 4 billion to 5 billion years from now - the Earth will be completely engulfed and all of its surface water vaporized. Life as we know it will then be extinguished and this will all become moot.
Leon J. Neihouse
Bath, Maine

The Dirigo Energy Institute died a long time ago because of a lack of interest but I still subscribe to all of the above. I am 67 years old and, as my retirement project, I am making a final attempt to get something started. Actually I am promoting the particular method that starts with sustainable villages, rather than some of the ideas you suggested above, because another motivation of mine is to test Relativistic Organizational Design before I die. This was the title of the final paper (also in the Files under ROD of the Yahoo Group I mentioned above) I wrote for my final MBA course. I am sorry for that earlier post to this group but I just wanted to stir things up a bit and see what might happen. Best regards, Leon Neihouse