Some Questions

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, Ed Minchau
>
> --- Chris Smyth wrote:
>
> > Hi Space Settlers,
> > I'm new to the group ....

Ed's reply:

> The Biosphere II project was a great idea. I think
> the experiment needs to be replicated, though with
> some modifications...
>
> Ed
>
>Thaks Ed for your well thought out response. As a matter of
pracicality I actually believe that a true earth-based space colony
test bed will only be undertaken out of necessity and corporate greed.
I'm ambivalent on the subject of corpoorate greed. On the one hand it
has caused unimaginable misery to many of the peoples of earth and it
has created some of the most horrendous assaults on the ecological
balance of our world. On the other hand it (in both its public and
private sector forms)have given us tehnological advances and massive
manufacturing and organizational infrastructures which enable us to
contemplate going into space and living there permanently. Its a sort
of ying-and-yang thing.
I believe that if anything approaching a space colony test bed is to
be built it will require a profitable venture in an extremely remote
and harsh environment. Thoughts that come to mind are the North Slope
(Alaska) oil fields, the Canadian Diamond mines, or (god forbid) the
discovery of supermassive oil deposites in the desert interior of
Antartica. Corporations and governments have shown a willingness to
invest billions to exploit such profitable resources. The trick is to
convince them that a mostly closed ecosystem to house their on-site
work force is to their advantage. Incentives from government agengies
in the form of tax breaks and involvment of prestegious research
instiutuions (Universities, NASA, DARPA, etc.)will likely be required
to sway the number crunchers. I know this sounds like sleeping with
the enemy but I just don't see altruism generating the capital
investment and ongoing operating revenues needed.
I believe that Burt Rutan, Bigelow Aerospace, and Virgin Galactic are
on the right track. If they can create a infrastructure for high
roller adventure tourists to visit space it may help to "prime the
pump". I think that NASA will eventually tire of shouldering the cost
of the International Space Station and will gradually come around to
the idea of leasing docking ports to private companies such as
Bigelow Aerospace. Aside from space tourists we may find that certain
companies and governments would prefer to repair their malfunctioning
satelites (spy or otherwise) rather than dropping them out of orbit
and starting all over - if they can economically get the people up
there to do the job (this is where Virgin Galactic can make some real
money) and, once up there the repair crew has a place to stay.
I guess what I'm saying is that right now the International Space
Station is like a Pony Express way-station. If our transportation
system (to LEO) improves and becomes more economical, more people
will find more reasons to go there. Eventually it will become too
small for "business" and a bigger, better, nicer version will be
proposed (perhaps with a McDonald's franchise). But just like mega
shopping malls and downtown sports complexes, only the big
corporations and governments will have the cash to make it happen.

Chris