Asteroid Mining: The Most Dangerous Job In The Solar System

When a person thinks of the future of space, one often imagines rockets buzzing across our star system at incredible speeds, space stations thriving in the vacuum of space or solar cities gracing the surfaces of foreign moons and planets.

But while all of these things may come to pass (perhaps even a space elevator or two) the future reality is that there are some solar occupations that may entail individuals to risk their lives in order to keep our interplanetary economy going.

One of these jobs just might be an asteroid miner.

Unlike some of the other potential occupations throughout our star system, asteroid miners will face dangers unlike any other explorer. Often located in sparse regions throughout our star system, metallic asteroids will probably not become major spots for tourism, making them lonely companions for asteroid mining outposts.

With most of these invaluable asteroids tens of millions of miles away from the nearest colony world, asteroid miners will find themselves heavily dependent upon supplies for food and water. Their isolation will also make them prime candidates for space pirates, not to mention feuding powers from Earth, Mars and the Jovian systems.

Unless these outposts are protected by a space fleet, they may soon find their boring schedule filled with being invaded by unwelcome guests.

Another danger of asteroid miners will be radiation. Since most (if not all) asteroids lack a magnetic field, asteroid outposts will be at the mercy of the Sun's wrath, not to mention cosmic rays from abroad. Although outposts will probably have magnetic shields surrounding their bases, this does not guarantee that the rocks that they mine upon are free from being radioactive.

Despite the fact that future asteroid miners will probably have machines deal directly with the floating space rocks, their may be a possibility of these miners contracting cancer (later on in life), which could threaten future retirement plans (as treating cancer can be quite expensive).

If radiation and security were not enough to worry about, asteroid miners also face the dangers of micrometeorites piercing holes through their suits and stations, or (even worse) encountering a meteor shower from an incoming comet.

Future outposts will probably have to rely upon the eyes (and scientific "ears") of astronomers to warn them of the dangers of nearby comets, although they may have to "take a gamble" when dealing with incoming space pebbles as armor may prove useless against these solar bullets.

But despite the fact that these dangers surround future asteroid miners, there presence in our star system will be desperately needed. Asteroids have the potential of supplying invaluable resources, and the purity of metals could be worth up to $500,000 a ton.

Although this future job may be classified as one of the most dangerous occupations humanity has ever known (within our star system), space colonists may be willing to take on the risk in order to bring back the fruit of their labor towards major population centers living upon terrestrial worlds.


Note: Due to lack of time, images will be added later on to this post.

Update: Images added.

Update (7/12): Corrected grammatical errors (replaced minors with miners).

Making Artificial Life More Life Like

(Image: Japanese robot venture Squse President Mikio Shimizu, Credit: Space Daily)

Japan, probably the worlds undisputed king of robotic technology (or at least the nation with greatest recognition in the field) had released a robotic hand prototype that looks "almost human."

(Space Daily) A Japanese robot maker on Tuesday unveiled what it called the world's first prototype of an artificial hand with "air muscles" that can do even delicate work like picking up a raw egg. Squse, a Kyoto-based robot and factory automation manufacturer, said it has developed a 400-gramme (14 ounce) hand with five human-sized fingers with artificial fibres that can be controlled by air pressure.

"So far, robots have an image of helping people do heavy lifting, but we aim at delicate work as a human hand can do," company president Mikio Shimizu said.

Despite this hand being "eerily similar" to our own flesh and blood, this technology may prove to be useful in constructing androids who can operate machinery in places too hazardous due to radiation.

On a more distant scale, these artificial limbs could also serve as replacements for future colonists, in the event of one injuring a hand (or foot) beyond repair.

Who Will Make Solar History?

A thousand years from now when our species has begun to conquer other star systems (after colonizing our own of course), who will be some of the individuals who will go down in solar history?

While most of history has yet to be written, our future descendants may find themselves whining about memorizing the names from the "Early Space Renaissance" of the 21^st century.

Although this is not a complete list, here are some of the figures who may find themselves recorded in the solar history books (not to mention having a million space kids being named after them).

George W. Bush: Whether you love him or hate him, President Bush will probably go down in history for announcing the Vision for Space Exploration (or VSE for short).

NASA's previous vision of infinitely circling our globe and forever observing the stars (from afar) will probably be an embarrassment for our current generation, although hopefully the President's VSE will give NASA the courage to conquer the final frontier.

Eric Anderson & Peter Diamandis: Just as the Wright Brothers helped to "kick start" aviation, Eric Anderson and Peter Diamandis have helped to kick start space tourism by forming Space Adventures.

Space Adventures helped launch the very first space tourist into orbit, kicking off a whole new industry that is destined to thrive in the next three to four years. Both Peter and Eric took the discussion from "talk to action," proving that space was more than a privilege of governmental elites.

With future plans to launch Earthen citizens around their lunar neighbor, Space Adventures may give governmental programs a run for their money.

Robert T. Bigelow: If Space Adventures can be credited towards getting private citizens into space, Robert T. Bigelow can be credited towards actually keeping us there.

In 2006, Bigelow Aerospace launched the world's first (of hopefully many) inflatable space station, displaying that the private sector could not only design a better, cheaper home amongst the heavens, but also generate a profit on the side.

Although constructing inflatable space stations is in itself incredible, Bigelow's entry into space may be over shadowed by the companies attempt to help humanity colonize the moon.

Sir Richard Branson: Some people consider Sir Richard Branson to be ingenious. Other consider him to be closer to a mad scientist. Whatever your take, Branson may have the last laugh as his company Virgin Galactic is destined to bring space safely to the (moderately wealthy) masses.

Branson's goal of making space apart of Earth culture may be paying off, as several other space firms have announced plans to launch customers into sub-orbital flights. But what sets Virgin Galactic apart from the competition is the companies emphasis on safety, which should easily put it in the lead if (God forbid) a crash occurs in the industry.

Branson also seems focused on not merely sending people into orbit, but having them check into space hotels by renting one of Bigelow Aerospace's inflatable space station.

Elon Musk: After making a billion plus fortune by selling off PayPal to Ebay, Elon Musk decided to spend his riches on helping humanity become a space faring civilization. Thus SpaceX was born.

Although SpaceX has yet to put up a satellite successfully into orbit (along with a host of other companies), what makes SpaceX unique is their desire to drop the price of launching objects into space from around $10,000 /lbs to $1,000/ lbs.

After successfully launching an object into space on a test rocket, SpaceX seems destined (if not determined) to see humanity on not only the Moon, but Mars itself.

Dr. Bradley C. Edwards: If a building a modern day space elevator is ever feasible, this man will be credited towards coming up with the design plans.

After spending years in the realm of science fiction (or perhaps even fantasy itself), Dr. Edwards helped demonstrate the feasibility of this project, which (if successful) will revolutionize the way our species interacts with the solar system.

Edwards has recently started a company called Black Line Ascension whose end goal is to construct a space elevator, although only time will tell whether his research (and vision) will result in this object being built towards the heavens.

Michael Laine: If Dr. Brad Edwards can be credited towards making the space elevator doable on paper, Michael Laine may be credited to actually building it in on our homeworld.

Have previously worked with Edwards, Michael Laine founded LiftPort, this company seeks to construct a space elevator within the next 25-30 years. What makes LiftPort unique in its field is the fact that this company is seeking to chart its course within the private sector, refusing to rely completely on NASA for funding or guidance.

Only time will tell whether or not Michael's vision of a planet where space is "open for everyone" will materialize. Either way, this man's passion and determination to persevere despite the circumstances have inspired many to look towards the heavens as their future homes.

You: Our quest to conquer off world soils has just begun, and there may still be many spots open for ordinary citizens to say their lines and partake on the solar stage of history.

Note: Due to lack of time, images will be added later on to this post.

Update (6/21): Added images and corrected some wording.

Carnival Of The Space Geeks (Seventh Heaven)

(Image Credit: Physorg.com)


The seventh Carnival of Space is up over at Star Stryder with various posts by other space geeks. Some really interesting highlights included:

• Alan Boyle discusses the potential of space diving, which is like sky diving, except much, much higher.
• Dan Rankin rebukes space scientists for ignoring the potential resources of Mars today by focusing on the past. (Amen to that!)
• The mysterious Flying Singer delves into the real reasons for human space exploration.

But the best post of the carnival thus far has to go to James who has an interesting post about recycling human waste for fertilizer (ghetto!!).

(Surfin' English) Not only do hydroponic farms serve as air and food sources, they also serve as natural garbage bins. The minerals, bacteria, and other stuff in human waste can be used by our plants as fertilizer, which then filters our air, and grows us more food to make poop from. Plants also add a nice splash of colour to our spaceship.

Poop may be the biggest offender, but it's not the only one. Urine, dirty air filters, filthy and ripped clothing, bandages, sanitary napkins/toilet paper, plastics from food wrappings, the list could go on forever. But there are simple, though not easy, solutions for all of them.

Our urine can be filtered using the same process as the Space Shuttle and ISS, and dumped right back into the drinking water. Or the water can be used by the plants, and partially filtered by the soil network, and we can use the ammonia and other chemicals in urine to keep our space ship’s windows clean.

Although advertising this would probably be a good way to filter out those who really want to settle Mars from those who simply want to visit there, James may have a point. However disgusting (and unappealing) this may be, recycling our own waste could enable humans to "seed the planet" with fertile soil.

Martian dirt may not only be lacking in plant vitamins, but it could potentially be fatal towards most living organisms. Hauling nutritious soil (or fertilizer) is probably not an option for our future explorers, and NASA may have to convince astronauts to "create" the fertilizer themselves.

Obviously each astronaut would have to "handle their own" by products, although NASA may have to build a robot to do most of the farming, otherwise they may find themselves with a mutiny tens of millions of miles away.

In Space, Everyone Speaks Chinese

The eagle and the dragon
Were racing towards the sky
To be the first to build
A lunar nest so very high

The eagle arrived first
But the moon the dragon claimed
Because the eagle could not land
For one of his legs was lame

~Darnell Clayton, 2007

Although this current space race is still too early to call, China and the United States are clearly the front runners in this marathon. China has made impressive strides in its campaign to conquer the cosmos, with future plans of not only landing a lunar rover, but sending a man to the moon as well.

Over in the American corner however, the space pace seems to be slowing down. With NASA lacking the necessary funds for human exploration, they are forced to cannibalize their scientific programs in an effort to keep the vision alive.

With the current dreams of American space exploration evaporating, many have begun attacking their former space champion in an attempt to provide reason for the lack of progress in the space arena. This often results in NASA spending more energy defending itself than promoting space culture, which usually benefits the United States rivals (i.e. China) than it does the American public.

What many entrepreneurs in the emerging space industry as well as bureaucrats in NASA fail to see is that in order for our nation to reach the stars, they will have to begin to publicly cooperate with each other. Just as a lichen can not survive if one organism neglects the other, so to will the "new space" (aka emerging space industry) and NASA will fail at settling the moon if there is an unwillingness to partner with the other.

Despite the fact that NASA has the "committed" funding and a track record of returning to the moon, they lack the innovation needed to not only develop the technology to keep us on lunar soil, but to make it affordable for humanity as well. Although one could argue that New Space has the innovation as well as the passion to develop the technology, unless backed by several thrillionaires they may have trouble getting into orbit, let alone upon another world.

NASA and New Space need to realize that together that they are a team, and if they expect the US to actually visit the moon we so often look at in the sky, they need to figure out how to compliment each other instead of complaining about the other.

While NASA's current focus of reinventing Apollo may not be the best way to visit the stars, New Space should focus on filling the gaps instead of mocking at them. NASA in turn should encourage the promotion of New Space within the governmental sphere, acting as their chief lobbyist and looking out for their best interest.

This unity is crucial for both NASA as well as New Space, as any perception of division in the public may cause some to see space as a wasted affair. This could cause both politicians and investors voting away towards seeding the heavens with our DNA and instead focus on eternal problems such as disease, hunger and poverty.

Unlike the US, China's governmental and corporate space programs seem to flow in harmony with each other, which may lead to them conquering the moon before we do. A head start for China could translate into a head start for harvesting lunar resources which could translate into our future children having to learn Chinese because the red dragon is the dominant space empire, at least commercially.

Just as every major empire has had an influence on the "business language" of the planet (i.e. Rome with Greek, England with English) so will the future space power have influence on the solar business language. After all, it is often the victors who write the history books, and unity between NASA and New Space could spell the difference between our descendants reading space history in English, or reading it in Chinese.

Update: Apparently it seems as if I missed the carnival of space (which you can view over at Music of the Spheres). I'll try to submit a late entry, although if it is not included in this round, I'll submit it to the next.

Update (6/13): Corrected grammatical error. Also resubmitting post to this week's Carnival of Space as I was unable to make it in last time.

Space, It's Not For Cowards

(Image: From Aliens the movie, Credit: MovieVillians.com)


When one often thinks of space, images of lunar and Martian colonies come to mind, often with people (and children) floating around in micro gravity, glimpsing the heavens in a new light that would make even Galileo envious.

But when it comes to realities of living in the cosmos, we must realize that space, like any frontier, has its blessings as well as its dangers.

(NJ.com) "Solar soil is extremely complex. There is nothing like it on Earth," said Logan, citing suspicious "hay fever" reactions by two Apollo astronauts.

Moonwalking astronauts, meanwhile, would face especially high radiation risks if solar flares erupted -- underscoring an urgent need for accurate forecasts of "space weather," Logan said. [...]

The biggest threat may be the moon's gravity, one-sixth that of Earth. Despite nearly a half-century of human space travel, Logan said, nobody really knows how much gravity is needed to maintain health over time. Bone density decreases with weightlessness and does not always fully rebound when astronauts return home, he said. The heart gets lazy, too. Low gravity is likely to affect neural development of babies conceived on the moon, he added.

While most of humanity may settle for visiting the heavens above us, very few (perhaps ten million at most) would be willing to forsake their home world in order to colonize others.

It is inevitable that in our quest to inhabit other moons, planets and asteroids that casualties will occur along the way, with people suffering unimaginable pains from simply living in dangerous environments.

Space is not for cowards, and was never meant to be and if one ever desires to conquer the final frontier, they will have to choose to make it their final destination.

Is Terraforming Mars A Bad Idea?

(Image Credit: Popular Science, Aviation Space)

Of all the worlds ever graced by science fiction, Mars is second to only Earth in honorable mentions. Previously imagined in the past to harbor advanced civilizations, many space enthusiasts today now seek to not only visit Mars, but to transform this rusty world into a second Earth.

Although having a second home world (if not more) in our solar system is probably a wise idea, terraforming Mars into a miniature Earth could present new challenges making it very difficult into calling the red planet home.

Despite their similarities, Martian weather seems to be much more violent than its larger terrestrial brother Earth. Having less than 1% of the air pressure of Earth, Martian gusts seem to be able to generate wind speeds of up to 375 miles per hour.

Although Earth is no stranger when it comes to fierce storms, our planet has yet to encounter one on a global scale, an experience Mars seems to be very familiar with. If our species were ever to raise the air pressure to Earth levels, future colonists may end up finding themselves trapped on a world whose weather would put category five hurricanes to shame.

If raising the air pressure on Mars was not bad, raising the temperatures may be worse. Lacking major oceans, future colonists would be able to establish outposts throughout the red planet's surface, which area wise is roughly equal (in size) to all of the dry land on planet Earth.

With a large portion of water potentially lying beneath half of the Martian soil, (hat tip: Posthuman blues) as well as the polar ice caps, raising current temperatures on our future home world could end up flooding the planet. Although Martian oceans would definitely compliment this barren world (at least from space), they may provide little "land room" for colonists desiring to set up shop on Earth's distant neighbor.

Last but not least, a terraformed Mars may not be as "wildlife friendly" as planet Earth, enabling only humans and certain pets to dwell upon the surface. Unlike Earth, Mars lacks a global magnetic field which many animals such as birds, bats and certain insects depend upon for migration and navigation.

Although humans could easily navigate via an artificial GPS system, our animal friends may not be as fortunate. Unless an artificial magnetic field could be constructed, humanity will be unable to create the large ecosystems necessary to recreate the red desert into a thriving oasis.

Despite being a far cry from Earth like conditions, Mars may prove to be more livable in its current state than as a terraformed world. Humanities understanding of weather (especially global warming) is still in its infancy, and if we are not careful, our attempts at turning a world into an oasis may end up turning the world against ourselves.

US Pentagon Interested In Solar Powered Satellites

It looks like America's military forces are once again looking towards the heavens in order to fuel their needs.

(MSNBC) The Pentagon's National Security Space Office may begin a study in the near future on the possibility of using satellites to collect solar energy for use on Earth, according to Defense Department officials.

The officials said the study does not mean that the military plans to demonstrate or deploy a space-based solar power constellation. However, as the Pentagon looks at a variety of alternative energy sources, this could be one possible method of supplying energy to troops in bases or on the battlefield, they said. [...]

While space-based solar power may sound like a high-risk proposal, it is worth investing several million dollars in the near term to study the concept because of the potential high payoff, Kueter said.

Always seeking ways to stay independent and mobile, unlimited solar energy would benefit America's military forces as they could build more environmentally friendly fighting machines all the while reducing costs and dependence upon foreign energy.

Although the peaceful options for this technology are endless, it may need government backing in order for an idea like this to take itself off the ground, literally.

Artificial Gravity Via Space Elevator Stations

(Image Credit: David Mat, via LiftPort Gallery)

With humanity regaining their foothold among the stars, there seems to be much chatter regarding the possibility of orbital space stations circling our planet.

But in order for humanity to inhabit the heavens above us, we will need to find a way to create artificial gravity as the lack of it can have some nasty side affects upon the human body (thus banishing ourselves from large terrestrial worlds).

Constructing space elevator stations (provided that building space elevators is feasible) may not only be the answer towards us living among the stars, but also enable us to bring our animal friends with us as well.

One of the key elements keeping the space elevator "up" is centrifugal force. Often observed (or felt) when one rides in a car around a sharp turn, the centrifugal force at the top of a space elevator may provide enough "push" to simulate earthen gravity.

This would enable future space travelers to live within the space elevator station (which could also serve as a counterweight) for years without the fear of being stranded in space due to health reasons (via micro gravity).

Although some people have suggested building Goliath-sized rotating space stations, these space structures may end up transforming into an engineers nightmare as one would have to figure out how a shuttle could dock on the station without destroying it (let alone funding the project as space launches are not getting cheaper).

A space elevator station would probably provide a more reasonable approach as any space craft could dock onto the object without worrying about unnecessary twists and turns.

Despite the fact that current designs of the modern space elevator do not include a space elevator station as a counterweight, it would not be surprising to see one built on top of these future marvels. A space elevator station would definitely attract space tourists from around the globe as it would not only provide an impressive view of our own world, but also simulate earthen life within its environment.

Could Plaskett Crater Be Our First Lunar Home?

If humanity ever regains the confidence to revisit the moon, one major factor in deciding where to launch a lunar base can be boiled down to one word--energy.

Since establishing a nuclear power plant upon the moon may not be that popular, we may have to settle for solar energy via the Sun. With solar energy abundant in the polar regions (due to lunar orbit), we could be calling Plaskett crater "home sweet home."

(Universe Today) Crater Plaskett sits very close to the Moon's north pole. This means it's bathed in eternal sunlight. This would provide plenty of solar energy for future explorers, and creates a predictable temperature - it's only hot, not hot and cold. Nearby craters bathed in eternal darkness might contain large stores of water ice that could be used for air, fuel and drinking water.

Crater Plaskett might provide a good first step for exploration of the Solar System. It's close enough that astronauts would still be able to see the Earth. Help could arrive within days, if necessary, and communications would be almost instantaneous. But it's remote enough to help mission planners understand what would be involved for future, longer duration missions on the Moon, and eventually to Mars.

Although scientists have identified ideal spots for a base, they still have to validate whether or not the area is protected by a mini-magnetic field. Doing so will insure that future colonists can view the cosmos without worrying about their minds being melted by cosmic radiation.

Germany is preparing to send a probe in order to detail the lunar surface, which may reveal more favorable locations for moon bases on our distant neighbor.

Should There Be An X-Prize For Biospheres?

With all of the focus of NASA's Centennial Challenges on space elevators, lunar landers and oxygen rock extractors, we may have forgotten one critical "challenge" that needs to be overcome--biospheres.

(Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies) we have yet to create a closed ecosystem that can support human life for the long term. This revelation seems strange at first, but it's true. We can send men to the moon, but we can't sustain an artificial ecosystem. The fact that we haven’t been able to do so needs to be taken much more seriously. The Earth's natural biosphere is still the only functioning one we have; all our eggs are currently residing in one basket.

It's time to revive the biosphere projects of the early 1990s. Given the private sector’s recent enthusiasm to develop space tourism technologies, perhaps another X Prize is in order.

The sad fact of this matter is that there has never been a successful closed system biosphere. Without a way of developing a closed biosphere, humanity will indefinitely become dependent upon Earth for survival. Basic necessities such as veggies and meat (via animals) will have to be imported, thus limiting our survival scope within Earth's range, let alone outside of our star system.

A biosphere competition (in baby steps) may be the key towards developing these critical habitats, indicating that our species has "the right stuff" to live off world, and beyond.

Interactive: Saturn's Titan Will Require Space Elevators

Over at Planet Quest, NASA has developed a short, interactive tour that lets audiences know about Saturn's most mysterious moon, Titan.

What made this virtual tour interesting was the fact that according to NASA a single spark would be enough to engulf this moon in flames. This basically translates to the banning of rockets launching from the moon's surface, which requires an alternative method for transporting the methane off of Titan's surface.

It looks like LiftPort's and Black Line Ascension's great grand kids (assuming they will be running the space elevators future franchises) will be very busy in the distant future.

Note: To enjoy the virtual tour, simply click on the image below.

Space Tractors Could Defend Earth Against Asteroids

Despite the Hollywood glitz of Armageddon and Deep Impact, no human bomb would be strong enough to either alter the asteroid (and its fragments) course or destroy the incoming space rock.

However, where nuclear bombs fail, space tractors may prevail.

(Washington Post) NASA astronaut and former University of Hawaii solar physicist Edward Lu is calling for a new spacecraft that would divert asteroids on a path to slam into Earth.

The small space tractor, costing between $200 million and $300 million, would hover near an asteroid to exert enough gravitational pull that the space rock's orbit would change and a collision with our planet would be averted, Lu said before a crowd packed into a 300-capacity auditorium at the University of Hawaii-Manoa Monday night.

"We're only trying to get a really tiny change in the velocity of the asteroid to prevent an impact," he said.

Although it is not as spectacular as a nuclear detonation, a space tractor seems to have a greater chance at averting a serious asteroid strike. Lu research may come in handy as one asteroid, Apophis, is scheduled to approach Earth around the year 2029, and some scientists are concerned that its second trip in 2036 may hit our planet.

Hopefully one can be built in order to test Lu's theory out, as this technology would not only benefit Earthlings, but future Martians, Lunatics Lunar colonists and other potential home worlds orbiting our star.

Colonize Mars Within 1,000 Years?

(Hat Tip: Space Scan)

Robert Zubrin, president of The Mars Society has developed a five step plan towards conquering the red planet and enabling humanity to establish a second home within the solar system.

(Popular Science) Why talk about building homes on Mars when we have problems on Earth like war, bird flu, AIDS and global warming? To the Mars enthusiast, these scourges simply count among the reasons to ditch this rock and head for the Red Planet.

Robert Zubrin, the founder of the Mars Society, likes to point out that Columbus encountered similar resistance from noobs when he pointed across the Atlantic. But Zubrin isn't a seafarer—he's a scientist, with calculations that say people could create an oxygen atmosphere on Mars in just over 1,000 years. Compare that with other scientists' predictions of 20,000 or 100,000 years, and he might seem like he's peddling interplanetary snake oil, but there's no denying that his scheme for "terraforming" is thoroughly conceived.

Throughout his plan, Zubrin has proposed constructing mirrors around Mars as well as slamming asteroid upon its surface in order to warm the planet. Although these two methods are probably not financially sound ways of terraforming Mars (let alone reasonable) his third method may hold some hope for the red planet.

With evidence gleaned from our own global warming, scientists have a good idea of which emissions are best suited for climate change. Zubrin, among others, believes tetrafluoromethane (CF4) is the best gas for the global-warming job. [...]

Emitting 1,000 tons of gas an hour would raise the temperature by 50°F over 30 years. This could be done using 5,000 megawatts of energy—the output of five nuclear power plants (which would themselves run on solar power).

Zubrin outlines that if we could raise the Martian temperature by ten degree's, Martian soil full of CO₂ would then be released, giving future inhabitants ten percent of Earth's current atmosphere pressure.

After about a century of pumping CO₂ into the Martian skies, humanity will finally be able to emerge upon Martian soils without a space suit, with the current atmosphere pressure around 21 percent (with 20 percent being out of carbon dioxide).

Martian residents will be able to walk outside without spacesuits (though they'll still need oxygen). Not only will this introduce the first interplanetary fashion trends, but the climate will be suitable for planting, flying planes, and building domed (these would be more efficient for oxygen management) cities.

Once the equator's surface reached a constant temperature of 32° and up, Mars would have liquid water, and it would be time to start gardening.

Zubrin proposes that once Martian temperatures are above freezing, humans could begin planting simple organisms (like lichen) and bacteria in order to help seed the planet's atmosphere with oxygen.

After a century of fun, Zubrin's terraforming plans end with a millennium promise.

It's all seemed so simple to this point-50 years to experience weather and then another 50 to walk outside in your new Martian threads. But it would take our little space gardens 1,000 years to produce enough oxygen for Martian colonists to breathe unassisted. During those 1,000 years, residents would have to continually plant and harvest, playing the role of Mother Nature to speed the conversion of the atmosphere from carbon dioxide to oxygen.

Although Zubrin has not factored in war, disease and Martian global storms delaying the terraforming project by another millennium, he must be given credit where credit is due as there are not many other scientists sketching out a hard core plan for settling on Mars.

Unfortunately the only thing Mars lacks that would make it worthwhile in colonizing could easily be summed up in one word--resources.

Black Line Ascension (A Space Elevator Company)

(Hat Tip: LiftPort Staff Blog)

A new space elevator has emerged from the shadows, and from the looks of it they seemed to be determined to construct a space elevator in the near term future.

Black Line Ascension is the culmination of work by various entities and individuals pushing the technology required for eventual construction of the space elevator. The new public outreach of Black Line Ascension is the result of a desperate need by the community for a full-fledged effort to lead development of the technology and infrastructure that will be required to build the space elevator. Black Line Ascension is an umbrella LLC with sub entities working on materials development and basic engineering and research. On this site you will find information on the space elevator and on some of the sub entities of Black Line Ascension.

Black Line Ascension boasts an impressive list of individuals working within the company, including:

• Dr. Brian Laubscher (of Los Alamos National Laboratory)
• J. Barry Thompson (of UBS Capital and Member of the X-Prize Board)
• Dr. Bradley C. Edwards (Modern Father of the Space Elevator)
• Leland Nolan (former CEO of Orange Entertainment and Vice Chairman of Pay-Per-View)

The company is based in New York and still in its infancy, and they seem to be looking for sharp individuals to join their team. Although they have not released a road map detailing when they plan on constructing a space elevator, it will probably be within 10 to 15 years (that is if Dr. Edwards has his way).

Black Line Ascension is one of three companies currently pursuing the full construction of a space elevator, with the other two being LiftPort and Lockheed Martin.

Note: Don't forget to check out Edwards space elevator video.

Europe Considering Human Space Flight?

With their American friends (via NASA) getting most of the glory for exploring the cosmos, it looks as if our European brethren are starting to gain the courage to explore space for themselves.

(New Scientist Space) Digging on Mars and drilling on the Moon could become the main aims of Europe's space effort. These were the enticing prospects discussed at a meeting this week in Edinburgh, Scotland, about the European Space Agency's Aurora exploration programme. [...]

Sentiment is shifting in favour of human spaceflight, as some scientific goals might be all but impossible without people.

"Someone at the meeting pointed out that what a rover can survey in a year, a geologist could do in 20 seconds," says space scientist John Zarnecki of the Open University in Milton Keynes, UK. "A 20-second mission to the Moon might not be cost effective, but if you can ask enough 20-second questions, it might be worth it."

Although England is mulling about whether or not to send up humans to the stars, it looks like the rest of Europe is for the challenge. Despite the fact that America is leading the way towards the stars, the United States can not do this alone.

Space is for everyone and requires a global effort in order to not only be successful, but also peaceful. Europe's involvement is critical, as it will give more voices a chance to decide the future fate of the human species.

Review: NOVA And The Space Elevator

Despite being fashionably late (okay 15 minuets late) I was able to catch a glimpse of the NOVA ScienceNow that was mentioned previously.

The show will be posted online for those who missed it, and should be mildly entertaining at best. After watching the shows presentation of the space elevator, here is the good, the bad and the ugly.

______________________

For the Optimist: The show did a great job at explaining the overall concept of a space elevator by comparing it with a yo-yo, not to mention explaining in layman's terms how carbon nanotubes are created in the first place.

The show also highlighted Dr. Edwards, as well as mentioning an interesting fact about Arthur C. Clark conceiving of the idea of communication satellites before there time (and linking that with the space elevator idea now).

A large portion of time was given towards the X-Prize Cup SE teams, which made up for them being overshadowed by their rocket neighbors on camera.

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For the Pessimist: Dr. Edwards was only given eight seconds (or was that ten?) of air time, although the MIT student's explanation made up for his loss. Also, there was no mention of LiftPort in the entire show (that I saw).

It also seemed as if the show removed all criticism about the SE project, (a reason why LiftPort may have been removed) in order to create a positive spin. Although this may help out the SE in the short term, such criticism is necessary as it demonstrates how hard of a project this is (which helps eliminate frustration over the apparent slowness in building this project).

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For the Realist: The show was very well balanced with imagery as well as breaking the whole concept into "child-like bites." This presentation is something you could show in front of most audiences, and they would come away with the general grasp of the project.

Unfortunately it looked as if the Space Elevator was a "loss leader" segment, whose main aim was to drive traffic to the other three discussions on the show (aging, mayan ruins via satellite, and the language of bacteria organisms).

Perhaps next time they feature a segment about space, they could go more in depth about the SE, which means:

• Highlighting the potential problems and payoff's of constructing a real space elevator
• Giving Dr. Brad Edwards five minuets of air time as well as Michael Laine of LiftPort
• Give the public a time frame of when to expect one in their lifetime (i.e. Edwards says 2018, while LiftPort plans one in 2031).

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Overall Opinion: B+ (it's a great start, but lets make the sequel to this even better) I'm definitely looking forward towards another show.