This is what mankind can do

Dodgy maintenance methinks, not for the first time either. Someone screwed up but in fear of punishment hid it. Not supposed to happen but it does.

Tara, indeed I was aware of the difference between SF and Sci Fi. The problem is that Sci Fi is the popular version and has the broadest appeal and has the most exposure. Even film that tries to stick to real physics inevitably drifts into space opera.

It has created an unrealistic expectation even among those who work in aerospace, many of whom were inspired by the space operas. I think 'The Big Bang Theory' highlights that amusingly.

Another thing I believe is unrealistic is the idea that we can someone mine an asteroid or the moon or Mars for precious metals. If you want proof watch a show about gold mining in Alaska or Canada. They need a lot of investment up front, machinery, vehicles, people and as a result have to find sufficient gold just to cover their costs. That's on Earth! Where you can actually drive to the site and live there for months.

In space the costs go up exponentially along with the risks. I can't see it happening myself.

mariehart1 wrote:Dodgy maintenance methinks, not for the first time either. Someone screwed up but in fear of punishment hid it. Not supposed to happen but it does.

Maybe, but the hole that was found was not in an area that would be subject to maintenance. Maybe someone wanted to get home to see there kids graduation?!

mariehart1 wrote:Another thing I believe is unrealistic is the idea that we can someone mine an asteroid or the moon or Mars for precious metals. If you want proof watch a show about gold mining in Alaska or Canada. They need a lot of investment up front, machinery, vehicles, people and as a result have to find sufficient gold just to cover their costs. That's on Earth! Where you can actually drive to the site and live there for months.

In space the costs go up exponentially along with the risks. I can't see it happening myself.

I tend to agree. Even if the stuff was simply laying on the ground it would cost way more than it is worth the bring it home.

A problem the western world has is that Russia has a stranglehold on many of the rare-earth elements we need and China is buying up Africa. I am convinced their intention is to bring us to our knees, economically, with items we will have to buy from them.

Even something as common place as oil and natural gas is putting much of Europe at Russia's whim.

Yes Miki, lots of that is true. I think Lithium is the thing that will be sought after soon, well now actually, that is most likely to exhaust before coal, gas as or oil. Battery technology is strange, they can't lick it, I see Lithium becoming most precious commodity very soon, unless the scientists do something else quick!

Well, for now of course, such mining is futile!!! As you say, all kind of riches lay in all kinds of places around the world. There are many places untapped! Payloads from space are not gonna make it worthwhile.

Mining may work for topping up with fuels though in space as kinda fuel stops, gas stations of the future! Chemical plants built upon the moon or Mars could prove staging posts for further space travel, either manned or robotic, that would work.

But, when we know for example, there are Western reserves that have lots of gas and oil, totally untapped. I know the Wessex region of England is rich, not many know that. Waiting for the others to yield and expend there oil, before mining for economic gain.

Then there is Denmark, sitting upon Greenland, knowing it is a veritable future goldmine, of many, many commodities. Many parts of Africa, Arctic, Antarctic, South Atlantic, (especially around South Georgia and south of the Falklands), etc. that has lots and lots.... as for coal, well there is so very much of that..... we will never need to export it here from other planets for a very long time!!!!

Cleaner ways of using fossil fuels is the future! The technology is a hairbreadth away to getting there!!!!

Battery power, or as governments, trying somehow to look green and eco friendly like to call it, 'electric' power is just as bad as fossil fuel. The batteries are not easily disposed of and the entire building of a battery powered car engine, for example, is quite harmful to the enviroment.... it's disposal certainly is.

Celia xx

MichaelaSJ wrote:A phrase I actually coined:

Some greed is good and promotes innovation, unfettered greed is robbery!

Good quote. I may steal it.

What's the saying? 'The prospect of a hanging concentrates the mind wonderfully'.

Like war the the impending loss of something spurs innovation. If there's a way it will be found and probably it already exists. Just needs the funds.

The other reality is that we won't run out of oil anytime soon particularly as alternatives are found. Diesel engines have been pilloried lately but in fact they don't have to run on Diesel because they're multi fuel engines. Bio fuels work too.

As for space yes we'll continue to explore but until someone invents a cheap and powerful propulsion system, a real flux capacitor or warp drive. We won't be going far.

The inescapable truth for mankind is that it is eating itself out of house and home. I think many futurists (sci-fi authors) understand this and that is why they look upward and outward, rather than inward for answers.

If North America and Europe immediately stopped using fossil fuels today, the rest of the world as in Africa, South America and Asia will not. The developing world does not have the means or need to stop using fossil fuels. There is no stopping and only maybe slowing the world from putting green house gases into the atmosphere, the water, the ground in amounts that Mother Nature did not intend.

We will never have 'clean coal', but we can have cleaner coal. We will never not need oil, but we can it more efficiently.

We will never have a finger big enough the stop the sea level rise we are now experiencing, but we can at least start planning for the dykes.

In the U.S., the greatest hindrance to saving the World is the politic of a religion that believes the end of the World is nigh and they will be going to a better place, a great heaven.

NASA Is Rushing to the Moon
In the agency’s most ambitious dreams, it will be testing moon-landing systems within the next five years.
Since 1969, 12 men have walked on the moon’s surface, leaving boot prints in the fine slate dust. In 1972, as the crew of the last lunar mission flew home, President Richard Nixon predicted, “This may be the last time in this century that men will walk on the moon.” Several presidents since have promised to put American astronauts on the moon again, someday, and the desire to return has not faded.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/02/nasa-race-to-the-moon/583414/

It appears NASA is getting ready to put more folk on the Moon. Why!

We would do well, actually much better, if we spent the incremental cost to send astronauts to the Moon on educating more women on how to engineer and build robotic devices - AND then send those devices out into our Solar System to explore.

MichaelaSJ wrote:
We would do well, actually much better, if we spent the incremental cost to send astronauts to the Moon on educating more women on how to engineer and build robotic devices - AND then send those devices out into our Solar System to explore.

I could get behind that.