Moon Base Plus Amor Asteroids Equals Solar Powered Satellites?

(Note: Inspired by Ken Murphy of Out of the Cradle)

If extraterrestrials were (un)fortunate enough to visit our rowdy planet, they would realize that our civilization is powered by death. For our civilization to survive, to expand, and to literally keep the lights on our species must harvest the compressed liquid of billions of dead things--also known as fossil fuels.

While alternative energy sources such as solar, wind and "bio-fuel" do exist, they may not be enough to keep up with the future energy demand (hat tip: Life After the Oil Crash) of our ever growing population.

With energy supplies on Earth finite at best, some individuals have looked beyond the heavens above in order to satisfy our "energy cravings" below.

By simply constructing solar powered satellites (aka SPS) above our blue world, proponents argue that we would be able to not only meet energy demand, but hopefully create a greener environment at the same time.








(Video: A presentation to both Presidential Candidates of 2008 about the need to develop SPS for our planet).

Unfortunately one of the major obstacles to constructing an SPS is the cost of launching material into space, which may make an SPS unreasonable unless a space elevator is constructed (although by the time one is built, it may already be too late).

Since launching building material from Earth may be too expensive, our species may have to hunt for (and utilize) precious metals off world in order to reduce the cost of constructing these massive behemoths--which means future colonists may have to harvest not only lunar soil, but nearby asteroids as well.

Even though the Moon's surface is composed of mostly oxygen, it also contains silicon, a key ingredient for producing solar cells.

While the Moon also contains other elements such as iron and aluminum (which could provide extra resources for constructing these massive solar panels), lunar colonists may prefer to harvest these elements elsewhere as both of these elements would have practical uses "lunar side" (iron for construction and aluminum for radiation shielding).

Instead of scouring the lunar surface in search of extra building material, humanity instead may choose to harvest nearby space rocks orbiting between our homeworld and the red planet--also known as Amor asteroids.

Unlike the asteroids located in the main belt, Amor asteroids orbit much closer towards Earth, with many of them traveling around in stable orbits.

While their proximity towards our Earthen cradle may make them attractive for scientists, its their abundance of minerals and metals that may make them priceless for space minors.

One Amor asteroid in particular,  433 Eros may have enough precious metals within its tiny frame to be worth trillions of dollars (which should provide more than enough material to construct several SPS's in space--with cash to spare for financing the project as well).

Even though there are still many challenges to building an SPS (not to mention where to locate the rectenna), our species may have to wait until we begin to harvest our "local neighborhood" before we have enough funds to actually create these energy wonders (without bankrupting our civilization).

Note: Due to lack of time, images will be inserted later on.

Update: Images inserted (with credits given).

GPS For Lunar Astronauts

(Image: Drawing of a communications/navigation satellite in lunar orbit. Credit: NASA / Pat Rawlings)

With NASA planning on sending astronauts to live lunar side for six month sessions, the agency is attempting to figure out the best way to establish a communication network upon that eggshell colored world.

While establishing radio towers may be effective if one is constantly facing Earth, creating a GPS network is probably more ideal.

(Space.com) Getting radio signals to these hard-to-reach places is going to require a go-between that can cope with the constant gravitational nudges from the Earth, moon and sun.

One potential path a lunar communication satellite (com-sat) could take is by following a "frozen orbit" around the moon. In such an orbit the satellite's orbital characteristics remain constant despite prods from the moon's lumpy gravity field.

This uneven gravity field is due to mascons, large concentrations of mass in the lunar crust.

"You can think of it [a frozen orbit] as a roller coaster ride over the lunar mascons. If you pick the path just right, the tugs and pulls of the mascons will end up cancelling each other out. At the end, the spacecraft will be right back where it started in the orbit," Hill told SPACE.com.

NASA is also considering placing satellites within the Moon's Lagrange point (Lagrange two and two to be exact) as a communications satellite would be able to remain in a safe "fixed" position.

This would give greater flexibility for astronauts as they could establish lunar bases on the "dark side" of the Moon. This would also benefit astronauts if they decided to roam the moonscape in search of resources or to satisfy scientific curiosities.

Radiation Belt Study Could Unlock Outer Lunar Worlds

(Image: Illustration of two NASA probes set to explore Earth's radiation belts. Credit: NASA)

Even though there are approximately 83 colony worlds within our solar system, many of these worlds orbit gas giants who unfortunately bathe their lunar children in deadly radiation.

In an attempt to understand these radiation belts, NASA is launching probes in order to gain more information regarding Earth's radiation belt.

(Astrobiology Magazine) NASA will launch two identical probes into the radiation belts to provide unprecedented insight into the physical dynamics of near-Earth space, where violent space weather can affect astronauts, satellites and even ground-based technologies. Data collected by the probes will aid in the development of future space missions beyond Earth orbit. [...]

"The radiation belts were a scientific curiosity when they were discovered 50 years ago by James Van Allen, who was one of the founding members of APL," said Barry Mauk, project scientist for RBSP. "But the belts are becoming very important because we have people and machines operating in them. That region of space is now part of our technology infrastructure. If we can understand the radiation belt environment and its variability, we can apply this knowledge to improve our spacecraft operation and system design, mission planning and astronaut safety."

Understanding these radiation belts could aid in humanity establishing colonies upon Ganymede, Saturn's icy ring moons, and Neptune's Triton, who orbit within their respective planets radiation belts.

While future settlers would probably have to live within Aquarium homes (guarded by magnetic shields), this research could teach us how to survive upon these rugged spheres instead of limiting ourselves to living upon radiation safe worlds.

Video: Earthrise In HD

(Hat Tip: Moon Today)

To some people, space is a boring location, lacking beaches, liquid water and forests that often make Earth an ideal place to live.

But as Japan's SELENE satellite goes to show, its the view that attracts people to the cosmos (something FedEx admitted last year).



Note: Click on the image above to watch.

Lunar Revelation Via Japanese Maps

(Image: Detailed map of the moon, Credit: JAXA)

While NASA and other space agencies are busy planning on how to land people on the moon, Japan is busy mapping the lunar in extreme detail using its SELENE satellite (which is currently orbiting the Moon).

(Universe Today) The Japanese SELENE lunar orbiter has returned some of the most detailed maps of the Moon to date. The new collection of high-definition maps includes topological data and mineral location. Critically, the locations of uranium, thorium and potassium have been mapped, essential for mission planners when considering the future of manned settlements on the Moon. Seeing the lunar relief mapped to such fine detail makes for an impressive sight. So far six million data points have been collected and there's more to come. [...]

According to the JAXA press release, these new maps are ten-times more accurate than previous maps. Using the laser altimeter (LALT) instrument, 3D data of the shapes and altitudes of surface features are promising to give the most advanced relief mapping capabilities ever performed on a planetary body other than the Earth.

Hopefully more uranium will be discovered, as it would allow colonists to construct settlements virtually anywhere upon the moon's surface without the need for heavy dependence upon regenerative fuel cells or solar power.

Energy aside, these maps would also help future colonists determine which would be the best locations for settlement, not to mention whether or not building a railroad would be practical upon that dusty world.

While Japan has yet to launch any humans into space, they may be able to barter with NASA for a future trip, especially if they locate any more valuable resources (such as helium-3).

Japan: We Will Build A Solar Powered Satellite By 2030

(Hat Tip: Posthuman Blues)

Ironically while it seems half the planet is in a space race to either beat their neighbors to the stars, it looks as if Japan is busy figuring out a way to harness the power of one.

(Pink Tentacle) JAXA, which plans to have a Space Solar Power System (SSPS) up and running by 2030, envisions a system consisting of giant solar collectors in geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. The satellites convert sunlight into powerful microwave (or laser) beams that are aimed at receiving stations on Earth, where they are converted into electricity.

On February 20, JAXA will take a step closer to the goal when they begin testing a microwave power transmission system designed to beam the power from the satellites to Earth. In a series of experiments to be conducted at the Taiki Multi-Purpose Aerospace Park in Hokkaido, the researchers will use a 2.4-meter-diameter transmission antenna to send a microwave beam over 50 meters to a rectenna (rectifying antenna) that converts the microwave energy into electricity and powers a household heater. The researchers expect these initial tests to provide valuable engineering data that will pave the way for JAXA to build larger, more powerful systems.

If Japan is successful in their tests, they will not need to worry about mining the moon for Helium-3 later on down the road.

Although they have yet to put a human into space, Japan may gain a lead later on in the space race by focusing their attention upon harnessing the energy from above.

If successful, Japan could not only become energy independent, but sell their technology to not only present Earth governments, but future lunar and Martian colonies as well.

Should Solar Powered Satellites Be Built Over Land Or Over Water?

When one looks at the heavens above us, at its utter vastness, you can not help but be humbled by its glorious potential. Whether its exploiting asteroids or water ice, one can only imagine the untapped resources just waiting at humanities finger tips.

One resource that seems to be on every ones mind is energy. With the cost of fuel accelerating faster than the rate of inflation, individuals, companies and governments are turning to fresh alternatives to power our rowdy planet.

Recently the US government has taken a fresh look at the possibility of constructing solar powered satellites (or SPS), which would be able to collect energy from the sun and beam it down back to Earth. If doable, these power stations would be able to deliver unlimited energy in a clean, efficient manner (provided the sun does not explode of course).

While launching and building one of these satellites in space may have its own engineering and problems above, constructing the receiving rectenna on land may provide even more nightmares below. In order to avoid these concerns, scientists may want to consider building a solar satellite rectenna over the ocean instead of on top of land.

In order to receive energy from our celestial star, solar powered satellites have to be able to safely convert the energy they collect from the sun and transmit it into microwave radiation. But in order for the entire system to be profitable, the rectennas have to be huge, (about 14 kilometers) in order to be competitive against the fossil fuels that we heavily depend upon.

In order to avoid ugly fights over property rights, some have suggested that these rectennas be built over remote farmlands, with the intention of avoiding major population centers. While this idea may sound wise, farmers will probably not be thrilled with some government object hindering their view of the sky, and express their disappointment by filling the bottom of the structure with holes.

By constructing it over the ocean scientists would be able to avoid worrying about their pet project being attacked by rural neighbors, terrorists or kids pulling a cool Halloween prank. A remote location on the sea would make it harder for outsiders to tamper with the rectenna, which would lower the cost of insurance for the SPS.

Another reason why choosing water over dirt may be more logical can be summed up in one word--lawyers. In order for the government to actually build a rectenna over sovereign soil, they are going to need an army of lawyers, backed up by a literal army enforcing the law.

Despite the fact that the American government (like all governments) has the right to take away property from their own citizens, it does not mean that separating these citizens from their lands will be easy.



In order to avoid everlasting lawsuits, as well as rioting citizens, the government may want to choose building a rectenna on top of the ocean, as constructing in international waters may be easier than on national soil.

Last but not least, if the government (or any company with their blessing) is able to avoid the two former pitfalls, then they may find themselves suffering from the wrath of nature itself. Hail, tornado's and violent thunder storms can easily damage an enormous rectenna at "the best" and partially reduce it into expensive rubble at the worst.

By comparison constructing a rectenna over a calm ocean (i.e. the Pacific) may avoid most of the weather fallout that asualts us land dwellers.

Even though solar powered satellites may be unable to satisfy the growing hunger of developed nations, they may be able to inspire our world population to go solar themselves. Combined with our friends in space, SPS's and quality solar power on Earth could enable our species to live on this planet independent of the black gold that plagues our "tiny" world.

Note: Due to lack of time, images will be added later.

Update: Images (with credit) added to the post.

Japan's Lunar Orbiter Dances Around The Moon

(Image Credit: JAXA)

The land of the rising sun has a new accomplishment to boast about. Having successfully launched its satellite from Earth to the moon, SELENE now orbits this lunar world in an attempt to better understand Earth's nearest neighbor.

(Moon Daily) "The satellite successfully entered the moon's orbit. We are glad that we achieved one of the big challenges in this mission," said Tatsuo Oshima, a spokesman from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). [...]

Once it gets close to the moon it will start observation of land features and study gravitational fields, the JAXA spokesman said.

"Our next challenge is a successful launch of observation activities with cameras and radars functioning normally," he said.

Hopefully Japan's SELENE satellite will help the island nation (as well as the world) locate fertile grounds for habitation on the Moon. Although they have yet to launch one of their own in space, Japan does have plans to establish a lunar colony in 2030.

Japan's Lunar Satellite To Launch In September

After a brief delay, it looks as if the samurai nation's lunar satellite will finally take its place among the heavens next month.

Scheduled for launch on September 13^th, the SELENE orbiter could enlighten our species by providing detailed images of the lunar surface.

(International Herald Tribune) The SELENE project is the largest lunar mission since the U.S. Apollo program in terms of overall scope and ambition, outpacing the former Soviet Union's Luna program and NASA's Clementine and Lunar Prospector projects, Oshima said.

It involves placing the main satellite in orbit at an altitude of about 100 kilometers (60 miles) and deploying the two smaller satellites in polar orbits.

Mapping the moon would give the Japanese an edge over their American, European and Chinese neighbors by allowing them to locate the best landing sites, especially those suspected of harboring helium 3.

Japan Saves Its Lunar Mission For Another Day

(Image: Artist drawing of SELENE satellites, Credit: JAXA, via MSNBC)


With news of the Japanese delaying their satellite mission to the moon, some may wonder if Japan has what it takes to not only pull ahead of China, but establish itself as a space power.

While some may write off the Japanese space program as "third rate," upon closer examination it looks as if the Japanese are making sure their satellites voyage off world is a successful one.

(MSNBC) The Selenological and Engineering Explorer — or SELENE — probe was to have been launched aboard one of the space program's mainstay H-2A rockets on Aug. 17, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, said in a statement issued Friday.

However, during an inspection it was discovered that some components were improperly installed on the two smaller satellites that accompany the main orbiter, JAXA said. The components will be replaced, and a new launch date will be announced once it has been determined, it said.

Japan's SELENE mission will give the Japanese space program an edge over its rivals by providing crucial data on the lunar terrain and perhaps help Japan locate valuable resources on the Moon's far side. Two of the smaller satellites will observe their respective poles, while the third larger satellite will hover about 100 kilometers above the surface.

Although news of the delay is disappointing and a setback for the Asian nation, it is better to enter the space arena "slow and steady," than to burn out like a shooting star.

Japan Heading For Lunar Orbit In August

With the recent setback of the Chinese lunar orbiter, Japan may be able to beat its Asian rival towards Earth's nearest neighbor.

Although the samurai nation has yet to demonstrate an ability to launch a human into space, their lunar satellite will nonetheless aid in our path to colonizing the moon by providing invaluable data of its surface.

(Chron.com) All systems are finally go for Japan's first lunar orbiter, which is scheduled for launch on Aug. 16, officials announced today. [...]

JAXA says the SELENE project is the largest lunar mission since the U.S. Apollo program.

It involves placing a main satellite in orbit at an altitude of about 60 miles and deploying two smaller satellites in polar orbits. Researchers will use data gathered by the probes to study the moon's origin and evolution.

Hopefully this mission will not only narrow down habitation sites in the polar regions (where the Sun never sets) but also locate resources throughout this cream colored world. If the Japanese are able to locate places of interest, they may be able to use that information with NASA in exchange for a lift to the lunar surface.

Hopefully Japan will be able to pull this mission off in a couple of months, as it would help boost the appeal of traveling to the stars not only within Japan, but internationally as well.

Google And NASA To Send A Satellite To Mars?

It looks like the search engine king and NASA are in discussions of exploring the red planet together. Although these are nothing more than conversations at best, doing so may be in both organizations best interests, if not humanities.

(Red Orbit) Among the companies with technical partnerships with NASA is search-engine operator Google. Google declined to send a representative to the event, but according to Terry Fong, a NASA group leader, the two organizations are busy on several projects and have even discussed the possibility of a satellite venture that Fong described as "really far" off. [...]

According to Fong, Google and NASA will begin in five weeks to unveil technology that will bring NASA data, such as atmospheric observations and sea temperatures, to the satellite navigation service Google Earth. The two organizations are working as well on a disaster-response project that will place real-time disaster data on Google Earth. That data could include the plume of a wild fire, the condition of a damaged bridge, or even the position of monitoring aircraft.

"At some point in time, they might become involved in missions" in space, said Fong, referring to the satellite venture.

Google is already partnering with NASA regarding its application program, Google Earth and their are rumors on a Martian collaboration as well.

If Google were able to actually finance a mission towards the red planet one could easily see them incorporating that information within a future Google Mars. Ironically while the search engine king's competitors worry about conquering cyberspace on Earth, Google seems to be expanding its empire to other worlds.

US Pentagon Interested In Solar Powered Satellites

It looks like America's military forces are once again looking towards the heavens in order to fuel their needs.

(MSNBC) The Pentagon's National Security Space Office may begin a study in the near future on the possibility of using satellites to collect solar energy for use on Earth, according to Defense Department officials.

The officials said the study does not mean that the military plans to demonstrate or deploy a space-based solar power constellation. However, as the Pentagon looks at a variety of alternative energy sources, this could be one possible method of supplying energy to troops in bases or on the battlefield, they said. [...]

While space-based solar power may sound like a high-risk proposal, it is worth investing several million dollars in the near term to study the concept because of the potential high payoff, Kueter said.

Always seeking ways to stay independent and mobile, unlimited solar energy would benefit America's military forces as they could build more environmentally friendly fighting machines all the while reducing costs and dependence upon foreign energy.

Although the peaceful options for this technology are endless, it may need government backing in order for an idea like this to take itself off the ground, literally.

Another Space Cold War Developing?

Whether we like it or not, "weaponizing" space will become apart of our future. China's ASAT test (whether intentional or not) seems to have given the green light for both the United States and Russia to seriously consider arming the heavens above us, provoking a future arms race well into the next century.

Russia (it seems) is already in the process of expanding its "space forces" role in securing its access to the cosmos, while the US Air force is debating on whether to arm every satellite or simply establish a ballistic missile network. All of this would be simply humorous if it were not for the simple fact that both nations are now starting to snipe at each other (pun not intended).

(MSNBC) Russian space experts are wondering whether the United States used an anti-satellite weapon last month to kill a small Russian research satellite, the Novosti news agency reported Wednesday. [...]

"There's no way this is a credible story," U.S. Navy Capt. James Graybeal, spokesman for the U.S. Strategic Command, told MSNBC.com. "We've checked with everybody, we have talked to everyone."

It is doubtful that the US would intentionally destroy a commercial satellite, as that would be an excellent way of starting a war. Although the real reason probably lies on which company built the satellite, the fact that both nations are more geared towards "star wars" than "star trek," does not exactly help out the situation.

Hopefully some sort of space alliance can be forged between the two, as the last thing our planet needs is a war above the heavens, as well as below it.

(Image Credit: Space 4 Peace)

Finding Martian Minerals In All The Right Places

Despite captivating our attention, wonder and awe of being Earth like, Mars still lacks a financial incentive for even visiting the red planet.

Although there are plenty of reasons not to go to visit this crimson world, all of these can be overcome technologically or medically if Mars displays a valuable resource for humanity to exploit.

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter may change all of this as it circles the red globe analyzing the Martian surface.

(Astrobiology Magazine) "We're finding that Mars has even more compositional diversity and complicated geology than had been revealed by instruments on other Mars orbiters," says Dr. Scott Murchie, CRISM principal investigator from the Applied Physics Laboratory. "With CRISM's help, this mission is going to rewrite our understanding of the planet."

"CRISM's high spatial resolution provides the means to not only identify a greater range of minerals on Mars but also to associate them with small scale geologic features," says Dr. Sue Smrekar, deputy MRO project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "The result is a tremendous leap forward in interpreting the geologic processes and volatile environments that created different rocks throughout the history of Mars."

While the satellite is providing valuable data regarding rock formation (as well as hints of ancient water ways) hopefully it can be used to find out whether there are precious metals (i.e. gold, silver or platinum), iron or titanium on the surface.

After all if we are going to eventually live on the red planet, then we are going to have to find a way to make a living while camping away from "Earthen influence." If not, then Mars may at best be a boring tourism planet, where only geologists and scientists find great joy in exploring its surface.

Germany To Provide Us With "Google Moon?"

Despite the fact that Germany has no serious plans on putting a man in space (let alone on the moon) they are seriously considering launching robots into the heavens by 2013 in an attempt to understand Earth's closest neighbor.

(Earth Times) "We aim to launch a national moon mission," DLR Director Walter Doellinger said, adding that there was no intention to launch a manned mission.

The aim is to put a probe into orbit around the moon for four years with the aim of charting the entire surface for the first time. The survey is to be three-dimensional and in colour.

"The probe will examine the moon's surface and provide indications of significant geological formations that could later be of interest for drilling," Doellinger said.

There is no word yet on whether or not Germany's lunar survey will be publicly available, or released commercially although they will hopefully consider the former.

Germany plans on using the probe to examine minerals upon the lunar surface, locate ice water (if any exists) and investigate the moons mysterious magnetic field which may enable us to actually build habitats above ground.

Camping Out On The Red Planet

It looks like the Mars Express has produced hiking or "camping" maps of the red planet, highlighting the various elevation paths of the Iani Chaos region.

(Red Orbit) Scientists using data from the HRSC experiment onboard ESA's Mars Express spacecraft have produced the first 'hiker's maps' of Mars. Giving detailed height contours and names of geological features in the Iani Chaos region, the maps could become a standard reference for future Martian research.

The maps are known as topographic maps because they use contour lines to show the heights of the landscape.

The contour lines are superimposed upon high-resolution images of Mars, taken by the High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) onboard Mars Express. On Earth, such maps are used by hikers and planning authorities.

Creating maps like these give Mars a more "Earthen feel" and perhaps make it more appealing as a future home rather than a distant world. (for more maps, click here)

Note: Maps like these remind me of those Crazy4Mars stories (via 4Frontiers) which center around several families living on the red planet.

Update: Added photo and link towards more maps.

Could A Military Space Race Ruin It For Everyone?

(Hat Tip: LiftPort Staff Blog)

They say space is the final frontier. But with the current direction of our species, space might also become the violent frontier. With the latest testing of China's satellite destroyer, the militarization of cosmos may be the fuel that drives the new space race.

(Aviation Now) U. S. intelligence agencies believe China performed a successful anti-satellite (asat) weapons test at more than 500 mi. altitude Jan. 11 destroying an aging Chinese weather satellite target with a kinetic kill vehicle launched on board a ballistic missile. [...]

Details emerging from space sources indicate that the Chinese Feng Yun 1C (FY-1C) polar orbit weather satellite launched in 1999 was attacked by an asat system launched from or near the Xichang Space Center.

The attack is believe to have occurred as the weather satellite flew at 530 mi. altitude 4 deg. west of Xichang located in Sichuan province. Xichang is a major Chinese space launch center.

Although the US and Canada are frowning on China's latest test, this maneuver by China may be what our planet needs to re-inspire humanity to revisit the heavens above.

Despite the fact that many people will see this as another sign that the end of the world is near, there is nothing like death to motivate an individual to action, as well as a nation (something the previous cold war demonstrated).

Although peace is a powerful motivator for space, it sadly may not be able to sustain global interest for the long term. If China's latest maneuver is a signal to the world they are an upcoming space power to be reckoned with, then the US will have to find innovative ways to transport her citizens to the moon--and beyond.

Terrestrial Space Elevators, A Neccessary Evil?

The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it used to be.

~Paul Valery


With humanity on the verge of leaving their terrestrial cradle, one can only imagine how far they will go in order to explore, build and conquer other worlds. But whether we choose to enter space via chemical and nuclear rockets, or magnetic sleds, we may have to construct a space elevator, even if the previous methods become cheaper in the future.

Whether or not one acknowledges global warming, most people can agree that air pollution is a major concern for our environment. Although much of it comes from common vehicles such as automobiles, a large portion comes from power plants, especially coal.

Many communities have responded to this by building "clean, safe," nuclear power plants. Although they do not pollute our atmosphere they can leave a nasty side effect called nuclear waste which can take thousands of years to decay or worse be spun into weapons.

Removing them off our planet would not only ensure that future descendants do not spin them into weapons, but that our environment would not suffer from a dump site leak.

Since most nations would be uncomfortable having a rocket or magnetic sled hurling nuclear materials half way around the planet (especially in their neighborhood), a space elevator could easily solve this problem by moving nuclear waste "slowly" off our planet from a location away from major populations.

The waste could then be disposed of by a robotic shuttle in space and then dumped on Venus (or perhaps even hurled towards the sun).

Although most of humanity is probably fit for space travel, there remains a vast minority who are either unfit physically (as in the case of Stephen Hawking) to travel to the stars. Despite lacking the physical strength to endure the trip, these people may have a lot to offer humanity as far as intellect and our understanding of the universe goes.

Leaving these people behind to observe the universe through others would be nothing more than to deny them the opportunity to explore the universe for themselves. A space elevator would allow those who are disabled or not healthy enough to travel via rocket (or magnetic sled) to join the rest of humanity in our quest to colonize the stars.

But before we can even adequately transport large numbers of people into space, (as well as dangerous materials on Earth) humanity will need to figure out a way to remove nearly 4,800 satellites no longer in use, circling our globe. Although many of these satellites are unusable, they may hold some historical value such as humanities first satellite into space, Sputnik 1.

Unfortunately despite their value, many of these objects can not be brought back towards earth because of the dangers that they would pose to both the shuttle and the crew. A space elevator could enable humanity to get a glimpse of their past by enabling the safe transport of distant satellites from space to Earth (possibly through solar dump trucks).

Not only would scientists and historians enjoy the return of some of the satellites to planet Earth, but also engineers as well (as they could finally figure out what went wrong in the past). A space elevator may even allow us to recycle these satellites and refurbish them for other missions.

Whether we get to space en mass through rockets or magnetic sleds only the future can tell. But regardless on the vehicle chosen to get to the stars and beyond, we may have to construct a ladder to the future to not only resolve problems around and on Earth, but to insure that all may have the opportunity to fully enjoy the cosmos.

(Hat Tip: Space Elevator Journal)

Update: Corrected some grammatical errors.

Seeing Mars With X-Ray Vision

Thanks to the Mars Express spacecraft, we are getting a whole different view of Mars which is revealing ancient secrets hidden beneath the red surface.

(Mars Daily) Scientists are finding an older, craggier face of Mars buried beneath the surface, thanks to pioneering sounding radar co-sponsored by NASA aboard the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft. [...]

The technique uses echoes of waves that have penetrated below the surface.

"It's almost like having X-ray vision," said Dr. Thomas R. Watters of the National Air and Space Museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, Washington. "Besides finding previously unknown impact basins, we've also confirmed that some of the subtle topographic depressions mapped previously in the lowlands are related to impact features."

Although geologists will be excited about using the satellite to discover old Mars, hopefully scientists will use it to discover whether or not underground water tunnels exist on the red planet.

It could also prove quite useful in locating any valuable resources that may stimulate businesses to invest in a future quest towards Mars (after the moon of course).