Jumping the Gun.

From: sraj [mailto:sraj@...]

> http://members.aol.com/oscarcombs/settle.htm
>
> Very interesting site, with lot of interesting images!

Thanks. Just did a re-organization of my website to break things down
to smaller, more digestible chunks.

> 1) One can only hope that the doom predicted in 'If not
> for the fall' does not come true.

In truth, my thinking on this subject has changed somewhat since the
time I wrote this story. So many of the dire predictions of the
environmentalists failed to come true. Nowadays, I worry more about a
steady stultification and regimentation of life on Earth than about
anybody running out of food or metal. And I see space settlement as a
way out of that stultification.

> This info, generated by the Pentagon, was leaked in the
> 22 Feb 2004 issue of 'The Observer' (British Newspaper)....
> Now the Pentagon tells Bush: Climate Change will destroy us

One thing that hasn't gotten sufficient attention is that the scenarios
they discussed were considered absolute worst-case scenarios, not what
was considered most likely to happen. And the press has hyped it up a
bit.

> 2) Is there a smaller design of the Space Hab which can
> accommodate say 20 persons? Is there any plan to put up
> such a 'Hab' in the near future?

A CELSS for 20 people might be possible (if somewhat artificial), but
gravity is a bit more iffy. If people are more adaptable to rotation
than we currently think, or if smaller amounts of gravity turn out to be
enough, then smaller habitat radii might be possible. But if the
pessimists are right, radii of around a mile might be the minimum.

> 3) The Sky Bridge in 'Bridge to Space' is very interesting.
> Two maiden launch fail, and yet the Astronauts survive -
> perhaps to emphasise the survivability aspect, as compared
> with the Space Shuttle!?

Eh, more because I don't believe in creating characters crafted to be
likeable, and then killing them.

> Very Nice

Thanks.

Regards,

Mike Combs