Scientists have held for several years that Jupiter's moon Europa has an ocean under its icy surface. If the surface ice is several miles thick, as expected, the ocean beneath could have twice as much water as all of Earth's oceans combined. Liquid water brings up the possibility of life. Liquid water held within an ice shell suggests heat in the interior of the moon. That could result from internal processes, or from friction caused by the constant stress of being under Jupiter's gravitational sway. Heat plus liquid water means the chances for life go up.
Now, according to one study. the Europan ocean may be richer in oxygen than previously thought. Oxygen, scientists believe, is important for the metabolism of life, although it is possible to have life without having free oxygen in the environment. Indeed, oxygen is a poison to some life forms.
Still, a huge ocean protected from outside radiation by miles of ice, maintained in liquid form by some energy source for hundreds of millions of years with, perhaps, enough oxygen to animate something wiggly may be a promising place to look for life beyond Earth.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Space Wars
The History Channel series, The Universe, generally deals with astronomy, cosmology, and physics. Last night, however, it took on space wars. The subject lent itself to cool pictures and a discussion of physics, but the underlying concept of wars in space is highly questionable.
One scenario the show presents is a lunar colony starting a war of conquest and independence. As the show also points out, any such colony in the foreseeable future will be incredibly vulnerable to military attack, so why any leadership of such a colony would start a shooting war is unclear. Much more likely, the leaders of such an independence movement would adopt a subtle strategy driving on the colony's economic importance to Earth.
The show also looks at wars in deep space, complete with neat space cruisers. Again, the idea of military conflict in interplanetary or interstellar space is questionable. If most wars are put down as contests over natural resources, the universe-- and likely every inhabited solar system-- has resources galore. Forcefully taking some would be unnecessary. If wars are seen as clashes of cultures, it's hard enough to find other cultures in space. Going to war with somebody light years away makes very little sense.
Still, there were some great action sequences.
One scenario the show presents is a lunar colony starting a war of conquest and independence. As the show also points out, any such colony in the foreseeable future will be incredibly vulnerable to military attack, so why any leadership of such a colony would start a shooting war is unclear. Much more likely, the leaders of such an independence movement would adopt a subtle strategy driving on the colony's economic importance to Earth.
The show also looks at wars in deep space, complete with neat space cruisers. Again, the idea of military conflict in interplanetary or interstellar space is questionable. If most wars are put down as contests over natural resources, the universe-- and likely every inhabited solar system-- has resources galore. Forcefully taking some would be unnecessary. If wars are seen as clashes of cultures, it's hard enough to find other cultures in space. Going to war with somebody light years away makes very little sense.
Still, there were some great action sequences.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Tight Fit
The next shuttle launch is scheduled for November 12, but various constraints could push it into January. That's even before the glitches shuttle engineers often have to wrestle before a launch.
There's a week in this launch window, starting November 12, for a mission to ISS. After that week, the sun-angle at ISS won't be good enough to supply enough solar power to support the mission. That situation would last a few days. Throw in a commercial launch at Cape Canaveral on November 14 that must be accomodated, the Leonid meteor shower, and the new year-- shuttle computers can't deal with a change of year-- and the launch could drift into 2010.
While the space shuttle is a remarkable machine, those looking to build a manned system that will truly open space should take note. Such a system would be built on a technology base that is well understood and reliable. The system would be simple enough to maintain with relatively few people and to check thoroughly between flights. It would be robust enough to fly many times before getting a complete overhaul, and it could operate in a range of weather conditions. And, it would be able to fly December 31 and on into the new year.
There's a week in this launch window, starting November 12, for a mission to ISS. After that week, the sun-angle at ISS won't be good enough to supply enough solar power to support the mission. That situation would last a few days. Throw in a commercial launch at Cape Canaveral on November 14 that must be accomodated, the Leonid meteor shower, and the new year-- shuttle computers can't deal with a change of year-- and the launch could drift into 2010.
While the space shuttle is a remarkable machine, those looking to build a manned system that will truly open space should take note. Such a system would be built on a technology base that is well understood and reliable. The system would be simple enough to maintain with relatively few people and to check thoroughly between flights. It would be robust enough to fly many times before getting a complete overhaul, and it could operate in a range of weather conditions. And, it would be able to fly December 31 and on into the new year.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Anniversaries
Yesterday marked the anniversaries of two historic flights, those of Sputnik and SpaceShipOne. This year marked the fortieth anniversary of the flight of Apollo 11. And, as Bob Werb points out in an article on The Space Review website, this year marks another fortieth anniversary.
Gerard K. O'Neill was a physics professor at Princeton in 1969, a heady time for space enthusiasts, if not for NASA's future plans in Congress. Dr. O'Neill developed what has become the best known design for a space colony built in free space-- a huge structure that rotated to create artificial gravity, home to perhaps thousands of people. Perhaps more importantly, Dr. O'Neill also provided the rationale for such colonies by putting them in the context of a human economy expanding into space, using space resources to create a wealthy civilization and a clean, ecologically sound Earth. Werb suggests that the NewSpace industry now developing may be the tool by which O'Neill's vision is realized.
If the next few centuries do see humanity's expansion into space, Gerard O'Neill could well be remembered as one of the great thinkers of his time.
Gerard K. O'Neill was a physics professor at Princeton in 1969, a heady time for space enthusiasts, if not for NASA's future plans in Congress. Dr. O'Neill developed what has become the best known design for a space colony built in free space-- a huge structure that rotated to create artificial gravity, home to perhaps thousands of people. Perhaps more importantly, Dr. O'Neill also provided the rationale for such colonies by putting them in the context of a human economy expanding into space, using space resources to create a wealthy civilization and a clean, ecologically sound Earth. Werb suggests that the NewSpace industry now developing may be the tool by which O'Neill's vision is realized.
If the next few centuries do see humanity's expansion into space, Gerard O'Neill could well be remembered as one of the great thinkers of his time.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Five Years Out
Forty-seven years to the day after Sputnik ushered in the Space Age, Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne won the Ansari X-Prize and the $10 million that went with it by becoming the first private craft to deliver a human into space twice within two weeks.
There have been no more private spaceflights since, but if all goes well the next five years will see the beginning of an extraordinary period in human history. Several private companies have been working hard to lead private enterprise into space in a major way. Rutan and Virgin Galactic are offering paying customers suborbital flights. Bigelow Aerospace is developing the concept of inflatable structures that, potentially, could quickly lead to manned orbital research facilities, space factories, space hotels, and bases on other worlds. SpaceX and Interorbital Systems are developing large, powerful launchers and manned craft capable of reaching orbit. IOS, indeed, plans its first orbital flight carrying two people in 2011. IOS also plans its own lunar base later in the decade.
Couple the private push with what seems to be a building movement among national governments to establish an international lunar base, and there is the real possibility of creating a human economy that would utilize the unque energy and gravitational aspects of free space and the material and water resources of the Moon and near-Earth asteroids. Such an economy would be capable of ending poverty on Earth as well as establishing the technology base to allow humans to expand exploration and settlement to Mars and beyond.
There have been no more private spaceflights since, but if all goes well the next five years will see the beginning of an extraordinary period in human history. Several private companies have been working hard to lead private enterprise into space in a major way. Rutan and Virgin Galactic are offering paying customers suborbital flights. Bigelow Aerospace is developing the concept of inflatable structures that, potentially, could quickly lead to manned orbital research facilities, space factories, space hotels, and bases on other worlds. SpaceX and Interorbital Systems are developing large, powerful launchers and manned craft capable of reaching orbit. IOS, indeed, plans its first orbital flight carrying two people in 2011. IOS also plans its own lunar base later in the decade.
Couple the private push with what seems to be a building movement among national governments to establish an international lunar base, and there is the real possibility of creating a human economy that would utilize the unque energy and gravitational aspects of free space and the material and water resources of the Moon and near-Earth asteroids. Such an economy would be capable of ending poverty on Earth as well as establishing the technology base to allow humans to expand exploration and settlement to Mars and beyond.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Pavel Popovich
The sixth man to orbit Earth, Pavel Romanovich Popovich, died a few days after suffering a stroke. He was 78.
Popovich flew Vostok 4 in 1962, completing 48 orbits. He also commanded a Soyuz mission in 1974. From 1966-68, he trained in the Soviet lunar effort, scheduled to command a lunar mission. Of course, the Soviet program to put a cosmonaut on the Moon was scrapped, probably due to the failure of their counterpart of the Saturn V launcher.
Popovich flew Vostok 4 in 1962, completing 48 orbits. He also commanded a Soyuz mission in 1974. From 1966-68, he trained in the Soviet lunar effort, scheduled to command a lunar mission. Of course, the Soviet program to put a cosmonaut on the Moon was scrapped, probably due to the failure of their counterpart of the Saturn V launcher.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Laliberte In Space
The latest Space Adventures flight is going smoothly. The space tourist involved is Canadian acrobat Guy Laliberte, founder of Circ du Soleil. He is the first person with a non-technical background to fly in SA's program.
The Soyuz-TM carrying Laliberte and his companions-- one cosmonaut and one astronaut-- is scheduled to dock with ISS shortly. During his ten day stay, Laliberte plans to publicize the evolving water problem on Earth.
The Soyuz-TM carrying Laliberte and his companions-- one cosmonaut and one astronaut-- is scheduled to dock with ISS shortly. During his ten day stay, Laliberte plans to publicize the evolving water problem on Earth.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
