Earth-Moon Network = Maturing Space Industries

At 10:14 AM 9/7/02 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi Victoria,
>
>One thing that it is very difficult to do is to stay strictly on a single
>discussion focus. The steps needed to advance mankind s steps toward the
>stars don t number 4, 40 or even 4000.

I would add that the "4 steps" I described previously are not, in fact,
steps at all. Rather they are discrete physical elements that together form
an infrastructural network to support wide-spread industry in space. I
believe with those four stations active and manned, the sky (pardon the
pun) is truly the limit.

How significant is it to the telecommunications market to be able to
perform in-orbit servicing of satellites? How does extending the life of a
satellite reduce the amortized costs of the project? What if satellites
were built in the manner that computers were? What if in-orbit upgrades
could be done? Decide the form factor of the satellite, break down the
components of the satellite into discrete subsystems (they already are,
really), and put them together like computers. When you need more power, a
service agent rendezvous with the satellite, performs the upgrade and
releases the satellite. Might you even be able to increase the satellites
functionality and purpose? In this way, the satellites life is extended
considerably, perhaps more than doubled or even tripled. I'm sure this
isn't a new idea, but this is one example of what an industrial network and
a permanent, manned presence in space can do.

Much of what the "Earth-Moon Network" does ultimately will most likely be
self-support industries. We are now almost certain that there is water on
the moon (or is it now fact?). Where humans go, water needs go. Reducing
the need to bring water from Earth reduces some of the cost to the network
as a whole. All four stations may be able to fill their water needs
in-orbit (or at least in the reduced-gravity environment of the Moon :).

To me the potential is endless. I'm sure I am not saying anything new or
different. We all know that there is a great deal of potential in
space-based industry. We may not agree on which specific industries or how
or when or why, but we know the potential is there. And that's just the
stuff we can imagine. I dare say that much of the industry in space will be
centered around concepts and products and technologies and services we
haven't even imagined yet. Because such concepts and products and
technologies and services can NOT be imagined until we invent or discover
or exploit them. And to do that effectively, we really need to be there.

>Jack, from your phrasing and our own conversations, it looks to me as well
>that you have a lot more prepared on the MUOL concept than you are
>sharing. Is that because you are nervous of the ideas getting out?

Yes, there is some truth to that. Also, I don't consider what I have and
what I have been doing with this to be all that much. But all of you
started with no idea of what the MUOL is, so what I have now is quite a bit
when you have nothing on the subject.

And I am a little paranoid. I am a little nervous about the idea getting
away from me. With all due respect, this community is full of a lot of
chiefs and very few Indians. I am concerned about the ego-driven politics
that collaboration will bring to this discussion. I have seen many good
ideas explode in the face of such politics. Often times such projects get
bogged down in dealing with the personalities rather than the issues
involved. Nonetheless, I cannot do this alone. Input and help are required
and it is this community that is best in a position to help me.

>My suggestion is that we drill down and help you deal with some of the
>devil in the details problems, and we ll let you handle the bigger picture.

That would be great. I need the help. We can continue this discussion on
this group (assuming the group doesn't object), but once I put together the
"MUOL Project" website, we'll need to migrate the discussion over to it.

>Que voudriez-vous?

Huh?

Jack