Russel E. Rhodes
A Charter Member of the
Space Propulsion Synergy Team

The SPST Whitepaper on Space Development

THE JUSTIFICATION FOR HUMAN SPACE DEVELOPMENT AND HABITATION BEYOND LOW EARTH ORBIT

INTRODUCTION

The space program lacks a long range focus and isn’t on a structured course to provide its affordable achievement. We are rapidly destroying our space infrastructure, which took more than a half century to develop and will require an enormous cost and time to recover the lost capabilities and skills. Mankind is losing valuable time in planning for the habitation of space beyond Earth orbit as the Earth becomes less capable of supporting human population growth. Society may already be in trouble for lack of vision of this need. In a civil society, the country does not simply decide to develop a new system or start a journey without a solid justification. Why are we about to develop something new or about to take a journey without a purpose and a well-defined destination? It is not fiscally responsible to undertake a new venture without first determining if it is affordable and sustainable to complete. If the new venture entails developing many new elements and establishing several milestones over many years, there is a need for a roadmap to provide a structured process including a strategy for accomplishment. Therefore, let us start by answering the big question, “Why are we about to enter into a new venture in space?” The present country’s leadership has not adequately provided a compelling long-term objective with a workable, affordable roadmap, one that is needed to enlist the American people’s support.

This whitepaper will increase public awareness of the importance of the exploration of space. It will also provide long term compelling objectives and rationale for travel beyond low Earth orbit and to gain the peoples’ support.

REASONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE BEYOND LOW EARTH ORBIT

1. SURVIVAL OF THE SPECIES

Space exploration is critical and necessary for the survivability of the human species and should be a global undertaking. The Earth has limited resources required to support life as we know it. This along with the ever increasing internal and external threats could make this Earth uninhabitable in the foreseeable future. Therefore human space development and habitation beyond low Earth orbit is urgently needed to extend life beyond the bonds of Earth. A few compelling issues are: 1) the need to cooperate globally is essential for exploration; 2) by cooperating we will learn to work together in peace for mankind; and, 3) by opening the space frontier and its vast resources to sustain us, we will avoid diminishing resources on the Earth, reducing world conflicts and possibly wars.

It’s the SPST’s position that mankind should develop a habitat beyond the Earth to allow man’s survival in the event of a catastrophe of the earth. An example of this happening in the past is when the dinosaurs became extinct on the earth or the ice age. This could be caused by an asteroid impact or a runaway greenhouse effect of our atmosphere. It is also projected that limits of growth for the earth are occurring and will become quite acute in approximately 30-40 years. As resources are consumed the cost of replacements becomes much higher and in many cases beyond the reach of the average person. A strong infrastructure involving a robust affordable space transportation system, manned habitats in space, establishing a colony on the moon and even terraforming planets will be required. The future of our species rests in the hands of the global population to recognize how important and urgent the exploration of space is to our survival.

2. NATIONAL SECURITY AND PRESTIGE

National security is always of concern and it has been established that the one who
occupies the “High Ground” has a great advantage. Modern technology (GPS, imaging, etc.) in Earth orbit has provided a significant capability for conducting wars and observing operations around the world. To perform a new venture in space with International co-operation, our country must maintain a prestigious leadership position in space achievements and be active in the governing body that establishes international law and controls global space exploration.

3. STIMULATION OF INTEREST IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM)

The country must provide a climate of interest and opportunity for our young people to pursue math, physics, and science in their education. Scientific and engineering college graduates are required to fill the needs generated when our experienced persons retire and pass on. Stimulation of STEM, college graduates in all disciplines are required to fill the evolving objective(s), needs, and implementing efforts of this proposal. Engineers, scientists, mathematicians, etc., must have a working familiarity of the principles/considerations of all involved disciplines and sub disciplines. This journey into space should provide a stable and sustainable climate to fill this need. Many of our present scientist and engineers were stimulated or encouraged to enter the scientific field from the Saturn/Apollo experience where man walked on the moon.

4. MAINTENANCE OF CRITICAL SKILLS

We are presently in a transition period in this country where the skills required to accomplish this advanced scientific and engineering work are rapidly decreasing and being lost for lack of near-term opportunity, as well as premature termination of important National capabilities. Due to the poor economic climate in the country and the termination of many programs, many highly skilled and educated personnel are being terminated from employment in space activities. They are being asked to retrain for another field/opportunity if they can locate one that can utilize their skills.

5. ECONOMIC GROWTH

Past technology advanced programs have demonstrated that advanced technology development generates great economic growth and considerable opportunity for its citizens. It is said that war generated considerable advancement in technology and the Saturn/Apollo program focused on the peaceful development of much technology including the computer and advanced microelectronics. The entire world has experienced great economic growth from this technology. The world is still experiencing many new products, i.e., cell phones/I Pads, live communication from satellite, etc., being marketed every day from this growth. Economic growth offers a form and motivation of competitiveness necessary for all species to evolve/migrate/adapt/evolve/migrate/adapt ad infinitum. Also, the fruits of basic research and then applied research that generates “considerable employment for the country’s increase in population” is yet another facilitator in the critical aspect of migration by a culture, society, and civilization for species/genome/genetic coding-sequencing, etc., survival purposes.

6. SPACE INDUSTRIALIZATION

Private investors are considering the capture of an asteroid and moving it into orbit around the moon to allow the harvesting of precious metals for use on the earth. The profit motive drives investment growth in this country. New products and industries can and will be developed using the environment of space and brought back to earth. These examples will enable space migration, settlement of space and species survival while improving life on earth.

CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMARY

Human space development and habitation beyond low Earth orbit is urgently needed to extend life beyond the bonds of Earth and the survivability of the human race. Economic growth resulting from developing space transportation systems and exploiting resources in space needed for exploration and habitation of space will commercialize space and provide countless jobs.

The above rationale certainly justifies support for advancing space. The next step is to convince rational representatives of all involved disciplines/sub-disciplines and the general global populace, that survival of modern humans and their descendants through space migration is not debatable and its success or failure is relatively pressing in terms of potential and looming natural and human generated catastrophes.

RECOMMENDATIONS

This whitepaper is only the first step and the SPST recommends it provide a much more detailed follow-up with a few suggested options for a long range roadmap for human space development and habitation beyond low Earth orbit. Increase communications to the importance and urgency of space development and habitation in all disciplines (legal, medical, education, food production, engineering, etc.) that are subject to the impact are essential.

Suggested recommended steps are as follows:

1. Escalate the need for an integrated U.S. National Exploration Plan including the role of Industry, Universities and all branches of the Government and U. S. Military; and, the role and involvement of International partners.
2. Elaborate on our abbreviated list of reasons for the development of space beyond low earth orbit to provide the need and specifics required to develop a comprehensive roadmap.
3. Establish a roadmap to provide a structured process including a strategy for achieving a permanent HABITATION BEYOND LOW EARTH ORBIT, and, the definition of the ground and space infrastructure including many new elements and overall plan with several milestones over many years.
4. Develop a Space Habitation Architecture to support the thoroughly defined need including implementation strategy and requirements.

For questions or additional information, please contact: John Robinson, SPST Chairman, at jwelshr@gmail.com or call 714-625-2107

I have added

99942 Apophis to my tracking program RGO

“Yeah…a noted historian once said (to paraphrase) that “once history starts moving the best that can be done is to nudge it here and there a bit”…(Alistair Cook)”

Thanks.
So that’s why I’ve been researching “recent” impacts for the last 15 years.
And here I always thought I was just throwing pebbles into the stream of consciousness

— Donald

Mountbatten broke with Churchill on that.”

Yeah…a noted historian once said (to paraphrase) that “once history starts moving the best that can be done is to nudge it here and there a bit”…(Alistair Cook)

the trick for politicans who are leaders is to recognize “when history starts moving”…you can see that in the space political forum. By hook, crook, good fortune whatever Obama has seen that the change in US space efforts is unfolding and he is nudging and tucking it a bit…the GOP space hangers on have no clue here…and thats about right because now most of their party is engaged in hanging on to the past.

Winnie had grown old after being beaten at the end of the war…he couldnt see the sands shifting both at home and abroad. His stupidity played, in my view a large role in the “hurry get it done” effort that gave us a Pakistan; which probably is an ungovernable state…instead of a unified India.

Oh well. RGO

RGO

“Everything I have learned of him suggests that he is an intelligent, thoughtful, and experienced leader”

It is clear that you haven’t looked at his Swiss bank account yet, I see.

Hi RGO –

Mountbatten broke with Churchill on that.

“Undecided voters are breaking for Romney as the election reaches its most critical phase.”

Not after they find out about his Swiss bank account. If he was a Democrat who won with that, Rush would be howling for his impeachment.

Oh yeah most posters are democrats here unlike on Fox News blogs.

“Everything I have learned of him suggests that he is an intelligent, thoughtful, and experienced leader.”

Oh sure, a real sweet, nice guy. Maybe you should marry him?

Whatever.