Mission purpose

[kgstar@most.fw.hac.com (Kelly Starks x7066 MS 10-39)]

Mission purpose


Why do we want to go to another star anyway? We obviously have to want to
do it pretty badly, or we would never pay for all this. Presumably this
isn't some kind of cold war stunt. We certainly aren't likely to get any
immediate financial benefit. We absolutely don't have any problems back
home (hunger, famine, mineral depletion, etc..) that this could help. So
what do we want out of the flight?


Exploration of the planets and moons in another star system

Advantages

*Very popular idea with public.

*Possibility of tremendous scientific returns.


Disadvantages

*Expensive. You'd need a huge ship to carry all of the hundreds of
researchers, surveyors, and all the support staff and advanced equipment it
would take to do even a minimal job of surveying a new star system.

*A planet with a Earth-like ecology it would be a biological death trap.
Alien microbes, allergens, and other unknowns life forms would easily
defeat unprepared Earth mammalian immune systems. The ground teams would be
in an area that would be worse, to them, than biological war back on Earth.

*On a planet with a non-Earth-like ecology it still could be a biological
death trap, and in addition have basic climate and biosphere
incompatibilities (Wrong temperatures, air pressures, gravity).

*This is a massive undertaking. You'd only try it if you really wanted to
explore. This would require a major national (or international?)
commitment.




Colonization of planets or moons

Advantages

*Very popular idea with public.

*Excellent staging area for direct examination of that planet or moon.


Disadvantages

*Expensive. Either the colony would need to be the size of a major city to
support all of the specialists needed to support a self sustaining society,
or regular (extremely expensive) supply flights from earth would be
necessary.

*On a planet with a Earth-like ecology it would be a biological death trap.
Alien microbes, allergens, and other unknowns life forms would easily
defeat unprepared Earth mammalian immune systems.

*On a planet with a non-Earth-like ecology it still could be a biological
death trap, and in addition have basic climate and biosphere
incompatibilities (Wrong temperatures, air pressures, gravity).

*Isolation from resources. Ores, energy and raw materials are far harder to
access on a planet than in space.

*Isolation from other planets.

*Their doesn't seem to be enough practical justification for such a massive
undertaking. Again, it would require a major commitment or resources. Which
means a major public interest.



Colonization of constructed space platforms

Advantages

*Still may be a very popular idea with public.

*Excellent staging area for examination of the solar system.

*Much lower biological threat than on a planet with biosphere.

*The internal gravity, radiation, and environment can be precisely tailored
to humans.

*Far easier to construct and service than a planet bound colony.

*Easy access to plentiful resources. (Space is considered so much richer in
cheap, easy to access resources and power. That it is expected that Earth's
heavy industry will migrate into space in the next century.)

*Could act as a servicing center and supply port for the starship, or
subsequent starships.


Disadvantages

*Expensive. Either the colony would need to be the size of a major city to
support all of the specialists needed to support a self sustaining society,
or regular (extremely expensive) supply flights from earth would be
necessary.

*Their doesn't seem to be enough practical justification for such a massive
undertaking. Again, it would require a major commitment or resources. Which
means a major public interest.




Infrastructure construction

Advantages

*This could establish facilities necessary for routine, lower cost, flights
between home and this starsystem.

Disadvantages

*Construction could take so many resources that little or no exploration
will be done.

*Less interesting to public than an exploration or colony program. So it
might have a harder time getting funded. But it could be part of a first
flight the opens up the star system for larger follow on flights.

*Could be very expensive.


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Kelly Starks                       Internet: kgstar@most.fw.hac.com
Sr. Systems Engineer
Magnavox Electronic Systems Company
(Magnavox URL: http://www.fw.hac.com/external.html)

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