Welcome to The Way Out

Welcome. This blog's focus will be on defining how humanity can expand into the Solar System, and, as importantly, how that move out can strengthen human society generally.

We will, of course, look at the new disciveries in astronomy-- perhaps especially at the progress being made in finding planets that orbit other suns-- and we will keep track of the various robotic missions to other planets in our own neighborhood. Scientific and technological progress will be the necessary foundation of any move into The Great Black. The real driving force propelling us out, however, is likely to be economic. Scientific breakthroughs are exciting, but finding ways to use the space environment to make a buck will be what sustains a push out. Sending humans to explore other worlds may simply be part of our nature, but bringing those worlds into the human economy will be what allows us to send later missions even deeper into the unknown.

Expanding the economy, unfortunately, takes time. Those who have different priorities and different futures in their heads argue that space operations cost too much for too little return in any rational time period. We can debate that here. Bring your best. A new industry centered on making real money by flying into space is trying to emerge. We will watch as those efforts either succeed or fail. In space, there would seem to be no middle ground.

Mainstream views, while welcome and encouraged, will not rule this blog. Discussions of so-called fringe subjects will be perfectly acceptable. SETI. the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence, which operates by scanning the skies for signals from other technological civilizations, has been accepted by mainstream science as a legitimate pursuit, but such wasn't always the case. UFO research, on the other hand, has never been embraced by Establishment types, and likely never will be-- unless something terribly dramatic occurs that finally proves the crackpots were right all along. We needn't wait for such heart-thumping, though. Discussions of UFOs and other theories in the shadows will be conducted courteously but in the bright light of day in this blog.

As you may have gathered, I don't intend to write this blog by myself. I encourage participation by its readers. Let us all know what you think. Argue your case strongly and aggressively, as you choose. I only ask that you remember that none of us has a corner on The Truth. Therefore, everyone should be treated with respect. After all, if The Truth is elusive, the rational person can't be absolutely sure who might have a piece of it.

Welcome to The Way Out.