Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to re: The heart of the matter

Yes
Robert — (archived)

We actually had a pretty good comprehensive vision then, based on Werner von Braun's ideas from the '50s. But even that suffered from being too linear--it was about stepping stones to Mars, a single path to a single destination. Halt at any one step, as we did after touching the Moon, and everything beyond is lost too.

Let's declare, instead, that we won't settle for less than the entire solar system. Instead of thinking in one dimension, let's think in at least two, on the plane of the ecliptic; and three dimensions when we set our sights on the stars. Not one trajectory, but a cloud of trajectories. We'll be able to see what all the trajectories have in common in terms of technology and build it most cost-effectively. The more bang for the buck, the more Buck Rogers.

To go back to where I started this, some people are seeing where we are now in terms of "baby steps", and they're disappointed. But I think I see an opportunity here to do it right, and build something so solid that it can't be brought down by a single failure. I want to make sure that the deaths of the seven Columbia astronauts is transformed into a determination to get it right this time. I'm hardly the first person to say that that is how we honor them.

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