PmWiki.MeetingTheSPEC History
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While one Project goal is to make space fun for lots of people, there are always enjoyable things that people shouldn't do, and the things that people should do aren't always enjoyable. How do you steer a middle course? Where is the balance to be found? Project Persephone calls this "meeting the SPEC" - reaching goals Seriously, Peacefully, Equitably, and Cleanly. At times, there will be unpleasant trade-offs. Even the minimum of necessary conflict might sometimes amount to a lot of strife.
While one Project goal is to make space fun for lots of people, there are always enjoyable things that people shouldn't do, and the things that people should do aren't always enjoyable. How do you steer a middle course? Where is the balance to be found? Project Persephone calls this "meeting the SPEC" - reaching goals Seriously, Peacefully, Equitably, and Cleanly. At times, there will be unpleasant trade-offs. Even the minimum of necessary conflict might sometimes amount to a lot of strife. That's no excuse for not trying.
While one Project goal is to make space fun for lots of people, there are always enjoyable things that people shouldn't do, and the things that people should do aren't always enjoyable. How do you steer a middle course? Where is the balance to be found? Project Persephone calls this "meeting the SPEC" - reaching goals Seriously, Peacefully, Equitably, and Cleanly. At times, there will be unpleasant trade-offs. Even the minimum of necessary conflict might sometimes amount to a lot of strife. The Project's goals are particularly challenging in view of the trends toward a possible long-term decline in launch demand for commercial payloads, the problem of space-based and space-enabled arms proliferation, and a threat to all near-Earth uses of space from anthropogenic orbital debris.
While one Project goal is to make space fun for lots of people, there are always enjoyable things that people shouldn't do, and the things that people should do aren't always enjoyable. How do you steer a middle course? Where is the balance to be found? Project Persephone calls this "meeting the SPEC" - reaching goals Seriously, Peacefully, Equitably, and Cleanly. At times, there will be unpleasant trade-offs. Even the minimum of necessary conflict might sometimes amount to a lot of strife.
If the long-run future of humanity depends on good use of the infinite resources (and the infinite waste-sink) of space, 50 years of progress toward that future still leaves much to be desired. It's not hard to see the core problem: getting to space, to make good things happen there, is still far too expensive. If we could get a lot of things into space, more cheaply and more reliably, many more possibilities open up. Space solar power, to reduce the environmental burden of power production on Earth. Moon and asteroid mining, leaving most of the pollution in space. Diverting near-earth objects, which could potentially set life on Earth back a million years. Space tourism for people who aren't extremely rich. Sending high-level radioactive waste into the sun. And plenty more ideas that haven't happened yet. There's no shortage.
What will it take to make it cheaper to get things, at the very least, into space? It looks like it will take several, if not all, of the following :
- finding something to do that can pay its own way
- getting lots of people deeply involved - and making them the better for it
If the long-run future of humanity depends on good use of the infinite resources (and the infinite waste-sink) of space, 50 years of progress toward that future still leaves much to be desired. It's not hard to see the core problem: getting to space, to make good things happen there, is still far too expensive. If we could get a lot of things into space, more cheaply and more reliably, many more possibilities open up. Space solar power, to reduce the environmental burden of power production on Earth. Moon and asteroid mining, leaving most of the pollution in space. Diverting near-earth objects, which could otherwise set life on Earth back a million years. Space tourism even for people who aren't very rich. Sending high-level radioactive waste into the sun or to the far side of the Moon. And plenty more ideas that haven't happened yet. There's no shortage.
What will it take to make it cheaper to get things, at the very least, into space? It looks like it will take several, if not all, of the following:
- finding a new activity that can cover its own launch costs
- getting lots of people deeply involved involved in that - and making them the better for it
To get something done, you have to set standards, not just goals. If Project Persephone is the right thing to do, the questions aren't over. Doing the right things gets you nowhere if you're not also doing things right. The risks, expense and difficulty of space travel makes figuring out any "right way" very hard.
While one project goal is to make space fun for lots of people, there are enjoyable things people shouldn't do, and the things that people should do aren't always enjoyable. How do you steer a middle course? Where is the balance to be found? Project Persephone calls this "meeting the SPEC" - reaching goals Seriously, Peacefully, Equitably, and Cleanly. At times, there will be unpleasant trade-offs among modes. Even the minimum of necessary conflict might sometimes amount to a lot of strife. The Project's goals are particularly challenging in view of the trends toward a possible decline in launch demand for commercial payloads, the problem of space-based and space-enabled arms proliferation, and a threat to all near-Earth uses of space from anthropogenic orbital debris.
To get something done, you need to set standards, not just goals. If Project Persephone is the right thing to do, the questions are just beginning. Doing the right things gets you nowhere if you're not also doing things right. The risks, expense and difficulty of space travel makes figuring out any "right way" very hard.
While one Project goal is to make space fun for lots of people, there are always enjoyable things that people shouldn't do, and the things that people should do aren't always enjoyable. How do you steer a middle course? Where is the balance to be found? Project Persephone calls this "meeting the SPEC" - reaching goals Seriously, Peacefully, Equitably, and Cleanly. At times, there will be unpleasant trade-offs. Even the minimum of necessary conflict might sometimes amount to a lot of strife. The Project's goals are particularly challenging in view of the trends toward a possible long-term decline in launch demand for commercial payloads, the problem of space-based and space-enabled arms proliferation, and a threat to all near-Earth uses of space from anthropogenic orbital debris.
If the long-run future of humanity depends on good use of the infinite resources (and the infinite waste-sink) of space, 50 years of progress toward that future still leaves much to be desired. It's not hard to see the core problem: getting to space, to make good things happen there, is still far too expensive. If we could get a lot of things into space, more cheaply and more reliably, lots more possibilities open up. Space solar power, to reduce the environmental burden of power production on Earth. Moon and asteroid mining, leaving most of the pollution in space. Diverting near-earth objects, which could potentially set life on Earth back a million years. Space tourism for people who aren't extremely rich. Sending high-level radioactive waste into the sun. And plenty more ideas that haven't happened yet. There's no shortage.
If the long-run future of humanity depends on good use of the infinite resources (and the infinite waste-sink) of space, 50 years of progress toward that future still leaves much to be desired. It's not hard to see the core problem: getting to space, to make good things happen there, is still far too expensive. If we could get a lot of things into space, more cheaply and more reliably, many more possibilities open up. Space solar power, to reduce the environmental burden of power production on Earth. Moon and asteroid mining, leaving most of the pollution in space. Diverting near-earth objects, which could potentially set life on Earth back a million years. Space tourism for people who aren't extremely rich. Sending high-level radioactive waste into the sun. And plenty more ideas that haven't happened yet. There's no shortage.
While one project goal is to make space fun for lots of people, there are enjoyable things people shouldn't do, and the things that people should do aren't always enjoyable. How do you steer a middle course? Where is the balance to be found? Project Persephone calls this "meeting the SPEC" - reaching goals Seriously, Peacefully, Equitably, and Cleanly. At times, there will be unpleasant trade-offs among modes. Even the minimum of necessary conflict might sometimes amount to a lot of strife.
While one project goal is to make space fun for lots of people, there are enjoyable things people shouldn't do, and the things that people should do aren't always enjoyable. How do you steer a middle course? Where is the balance to be found? Project Persephone calls this "meeting the SPEC" - reaching goals Seriously, Peacefully, Equitably, and Cleanly. At times, there will be unpleasant trade-offs among modes. Even the minimum of necessary conflict might sometimes amount to a lot of strife. The Project's goals are particularly challenging in view of the trends toward a possible decline in launch demand for commercial payloads, the problem of space-based and space-enabled arms proliferation, and a threat to all near-Earth uses of space from anthropogenic orbital debris.
- Seriously - educating people in the process; it's ambitious goals might mean education is its only legacy
- Seriously - educating people in the process - since after all, education might be its only legacy, given how ambitious its goals are
Adding it all up, we get the goal of Meeting the SPEC: ideally, Project Persephone must pursue its agenda
Adding it all up, we get the goal of Meeting the SPEC: ideally, Project Persephone pursues its agenda
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/MSc_student_at_Kenyatta_University.jpg/500px-MSc_student_at_Kenyatta_University.jpg
Note: the Meeting the SPEC part isn't fully coherent here. The emphasis below is about economies, secondarily about responsibilities.
To get something done, you have to set standards, not just goals. If Project Persephone is the right thing to do, the questions aren't over. Doing the right things gets you nowhere if you're not also doing things right. The risks, expense and difficulty of space travel makes figuring out any "right way" very hard.
While one project goal is to make space fun for lots of people, there are enjoyable things people shouldn't do, and the things that people should do aren't always enjoyable. How do you steer a middle course? Where is the balance to be found? Project Persephone calls this "meeting the SPEC" - reaching goals Seriously, Peacefully, Equitably, and Cleanly. At times, there will be unpleasant trade-offs among modes. Even the minimum of necessary conflict might sometimes amount to a lot of strife.
Project Persephone's agenda grows out of several conclusions about what it will take to bring space access costs down to Earth: future space applications must meet the criteria of being commercially attractive, involving a large user base, fostering (but not requiring) human presence in space, and being environmentally sustainable. In more detail:
- Be commercially attractive
- Involve a large user base
- Foster -- but don't require -- human presence in space
If the long-run future of humanity depends on good use of the infinite resources (and the infinite waste-sink) of space, 50 years of progress toward that future still leaves much to be desired. It's not hard to see the core problem: getting to space, to make good things happen there, is still far too expensive. If we could get a lot of things into space, more cheaply and more reliably, lots more possibilities open up. Space solar power, to reduce the environmental burden of power production on Earth. Moon and asteroid mining, leaving most of the pollution in space. Diverting near-earth objects, which could potentially set life on Earth back a million years. Space tourism for people who aren't extremely rich. Sending high-level radioactive waste into the sun. And plenty more ideas that haven't happened yet. There's no shortage.
What will it take to make it cheaper to get things, at the very least, into space? It looks like it will take several, if not all, of the following :
- finding something to do that can pay its own way
- getting lots of people deeply involved - and making them the better for it
- fostering (but not immediately requiring) human space travel
- being environmentally sustainable.
In more detail:
- pay its own way
- lots of people deeply involved
- Eyes on the prize - even if not everybody wins it
Adding it all up, we get the goal of Meeting the SPEC: Project Persephone must pursue its agenda
- Seriously - educating people in the process
Adding it all up, we get the goal of Meeting the SPEC: ideally, Project Persephone must pursue its agenda
- Seriously - educating people in the process; it's ambitious goals might mean education is its only legacy
Note: the Meeting the SPEC part isn't fully coherent here. The emphasis below is about economies, secondarily about responsibilities.
Adding it all up, we get the goal of Meeting the SPEC: Project Persephone must pursue its agenda
- Seriously - educating people in the process
- Peacefully - avoiding (ideally even countering) arms proliferation
- Equitably - improving developing-world prosperity
- Cleanly - not degrading (and ideally promoting) environmental sustainability
Project Persephone's agenda grows out of several conclusions about what it will take to bring space access costs down to Earth: future space applications must meet the criteria of being commercially attractive, involving a large user base, fostering (but not requiring) human presence in space, and being environmentally sustainable. In more detail:
Project Persephone's agenda grows out of several conclusions about what it will take to bring space access costs down to Earth: future space applications must meet the criteria of being commercially attractive, involving a large user base, fostering (but not requiring) human presence in space, and being environmentally sustainable. In more detail:
Facing Inescapable Realities
Project Persephone's agenda grows out of several conclusions about what it will take to bring space access costs down to Earth: future space applications must meet the criteria of being commercially attractive, involving a large user base, fostering (but not requiring) human presence in space, and being environmentally sustainable. In more detail:
- Be commercially attractive
- Involve a large user base
- Foster -- but don't require -- human presence in space
- Be environmentally sustainable