Views of space travel have grown increasingly pessimistic in the
last decade. This is not surprising: SETI still has
received no unambiguous requests for more Chuck Berry from its
listening posts, NASA is busy
re-inventing flywheels and citizens even of first-world countries
feel beleaguered in a world that seems increasingly hostile to any
but the extraordinarily privileged. Always a weathervane of the
present, speculative fiction has been gazing more and more inwardly
– either to a hazy gold-tinted past (fantasy, both literally and
metaphorically) or to a smoggy rust-colored earthbound future
(cyberpunk).
The philosophically inclined are slightly more optimistic.
Transhumanists,
the new utopians, extol the pleasures of a future when our bodies,
particularly our brains/minds, will be optimized (or at least not
mind that they’re not optimized) by a combination of
bioengineering, neurocognitive manipulation, nanotech and AI. Most
transhumanists, especially those with a socially progressive
agenda, are as decisively earthbound as cyberpunk authors. They
consider space exploration a misguided waste of resources, a
potentially dangerous distraction from here-and-now problems –
ecological collapse, inequality and poverty, incurable diseases
among which transhumanists routinely count aging, not to mention
variants of gray goo.
And yet, despite the uncoolness of space exploration, despite
NASA’s disastrous holding pattern, there
are those of us who still stubbornly dream of going to the
stars.
Space tourism has come a long way in a short time. The idea was
just a dream in the 1990s, but recently, tourists have shelled out
mega-bucks for a glimpse of the wild blue yonder.
Though only the rich can afford space travel today, experts
predict prices will drop with new systems under development. Later
this year, Virgin Galactic’s returnable Space-Ship-Two hopes to
provide orbital round-trips for $200,000, and one-day, take
vacationers to the moon.
By 2030, the Space Elevator, a revolutionary system under
development now would climb up a nanotech-ribbon extending 62,000
miles from Earth to space and could transport passengers into the
wild blue yonder for as low as $20,000 initially, then prices could
drop to the $2,000-per-person range when multiple elevators become
available.
As more people become space travelers, they will need a place to
stay. Budget Suites of America owner Robert Bigelow has launched
the first phase of a human-rated habitat module dubbed Sundancer,
to an altitude of 250 nautical miles at an orbital inclination of
40 degrees. Once Sundancer is in position and verified safe,
Bigelow will add more sections creating a full-scale
lodging/industrial complex as early as the middle of next
decade.
Satellite Industry Association President Richard Dalbello says,
“Once hotel companies start to build and operate orbital
accommodations, they will be endlessly improving them and competing
to build more exotic facilities”. We will see hotels that provide
normal gravity for rooms, bars, and restaurants; and gravity-free
areas for recreation and sports activities. (cont.)
“Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the Mars Inter-Dimensional Express. In a few moments, our spacecraft will transfer into a parallel dimension where we will achieve greater than light-speed travel. As we get underway, be sure to glance out your window and watch the solar system flash by at dizzying speeds, truly, the most breathtaking views you will ever observe. Our expected arrival at Branson Colony is noon Martian time.”
This scenario may sound like fantasy, but physicists, encouraged by recent interest in the work of German scientist Burkhard Heim, believe his hyperspace propulsion idea could become a proven concept over the next two decades. Heim’s theory adds two forces to Einstein’s four-dimensional space-time: one, a repulsive anti-gravity force similar to dark energy that appears to expand the universe; the other force would accelerate spacecraft without using any fuel.
If the Heim idea works, it will radically change space travel. Forget spending six months or more crammed in a rocket on the way to Mars, a round trip on the hyperdrive could take as little as five hours. Worries about astronauts’ muscles wasting away will disappear. What’s more, the device will put travel to the stars within reach for the first time.
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics awards prizes for the best papers presented each year. Last year’s winner went to a paper authored by physicist Jochem Hauser, calling for experimental tests of Heim’s theory. “This hyperdrive motor,” Hauser said, “would propel a craft through another dimension at enormous speeds. It could reach a star eleven light years away in just eighty days.”
I wrote about the unveiling of White Knight Two back in July, and no, it is not yet ferrying billionaires to sub-orbital six minute vacations. But it has just become useful (rather than enviable) to the rest of us.
On September 30th, The International Astronautical Congress announcedthat Virgin Galactic was partnering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to measure greenhouse gasses in the upper atmosphere using White Night Two and Space Ship Two. Both crafts will be fitted with atmospheric sensors and will begin gathering data in test flights.
The planes are uniquely suited to help the NOAA for two reasons. The most obvious is that they will go much higher than conventional aircraft. Thus, they can monitor the hard to reach mesosphere and thermosphere. Information about these layers of the atmosphere is vital for scientist to create accurate climate change models. Also, the planes were designed with tubes that channel outside air to internal speed sensors. This feature was added in the design phase in anticipation of scientific work.
“Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the three-hour Las Vegas-Mars
Hyperspace Express. In a few moments we will leave Earth atmosphere
and experience a quantum leap as we achieve greater than
light-speed travel. Be sure to glance out your window during our
hyper-speed mode and watch the stars flash by at dizzying speeds;
truly one of the most breathtaking views in the galaxy. Expected
arrival at Branson-Bigelow Spaceport is noon Martian time; we hope
you enjoy your trip.”
The above scenario is fiction of course, but German scientist
Burkhard Heim who
developed this radical theory believes that hyperspace propulsion
systems will become a proven concept within five years; and could
be fully operational by the end of this century.
Heim’s theory adds two components to Einstein’s four-dimensional
space-time; a repulsive anti-gravity force similar to dark energy
that appears to expand the universe, and a bold idea that
accelerates a spacecraft without using any fuel.
If Heim’s idea proves correct, it will radically change space
travel. Forget spending six months holed up in a rocket on the way
to Mars, a round trip on the hyper-drive could take as little as
five hours. And for longer trips, adventurers could visit
Alpha Centauri, 4
light years away, in as little as 30 days. Hyperspace
propulsion could bring travel to the stars within reach for the
first time.
Our last community
poll results are in! The question we asked, “If you consider
the first person who will reach the age of 200, in approximately
what year was he or she born?” received a total of 165 votes (as of
today, March 5). Receiving 41.21% of the votes, the
number one answer was “1950-1979”. Make sure to check out the
interesting comment thread
that followed!
Today’s new poll is about planetary exploration. The question
is: How many planets will a child born in the year 2000
visit in his or her lifetime?
We encourage everyone to explain their decision in the comment
thread below!
GUIDELINES:
1) The person doesn’t literally have to step on the planet – as we
know, planets can sometimes be very hot or very cold. They just
have to somehow “land” on the planet for it to count.
2) The child is born and remains in the middle-class: your average
Joe.
3) For the purposes of this poll we’ll be using the classical
definition of planets (9 total) and not including moons or
exoplanets.
The exploration and colonization of space have long been crucial and exciting aspects of how people envision future civilization. But how will our place in space take shape over the next few decades? Some clear patterns have emerged in near-term space predictions including rapidly expanding space tourism in the next two years, asteroid mining by 2020 and multiple nations with settlements on the moon by 2025. Take a look for yourself:
To view the multiple events in one year, click on the little plus icons at the bottom of the timeline. Many of the events include cool videos. Enjoy!
With all the technical terms frequently sprinkled about in most futures-related content, it’s a rare day when you come upon a futurist with a totally different and refreshing view on what might be in store for mankind. In this clip, The Hour TV show hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos (try saying in three times fast) interviews famed Canadian science fiction writer Robert Sawyer on his view of the future of travel. On top of his ideas that the elderly may soon retire in space due to safety hazards brought about by gravity (broken hips, arms, legs), I found his view on the future of travel in cities very interesting. Check it out.
The most refreshing thing about this interview is how realistic Robert Sawyer is about the future of travel. For instance, although he admits that cars could be built that could fly, the problem is that if you get into a fender-bender at 300 feet you’re pretty much toast. And as he points out rather comically, “A drunk driver in a flying car is worse than the worst terrorist with the damage he can do.” People already have a hard enough time with two-dimensional driving, imagine adding in a third.
