Look Homeward Angel (con.)
A very effective fire retardant material now being used in office buildings,
plants, and schools was developed because of the research into heat shields
for spacecraft. In addition, advanced forms of this material that provide
extremely high levels of fire and heat protection is in wide use in the
oil industry as protective coatings on off-shore oil platforms, etc.; as well as
in other industries where there is high fire risk.
Ice buildup on the wings of airplanes and on bridges can be a serious problem
that has lead to critical accidents and lose of life. This is why the military
services, aircraft manufacturers and public safety agencies are interested
in new developments in de-icing that are the results of research done at
NASA's Ames Research Center.
Have you heard of the device called the Optacon which enables the blind
to read the printed page? Again, this is a spin-off of the original research
done for the space program.
Solar energy devices, improved insulation materials, safer football helmets,
warmer and lighter weight outdoor clothing for skiers and hikers, computer
analysis of everything from our automobiles to our bodies, medical detection
techniques, help for children with cerebral palsy, improved methods for
the filtration of water, and spoil-proof packaging and methods to provide
nutritious meals for day care centers and the elderly, these are only a
small fraction of the many ways that space research has affected our daily
lives. The list goes on and on.
Do you think this effect will increase or decrease as we develop ways to
live, work and travel in outer space? The answer has been proven many times
and was something I learned in Sociology 1A at the University of the Pacific.
As our knowledge increases, the ability to use that knowledge in innovative
ways increases at an even faster rate. None of us can really fully conceive
of the impact of this far-reaching research. This I can tell you, the results
will be massive, and the potential for the betterment of our lives alone
is worth any investment we will make.
My second point revolves around the potential for the development of an
unlimited pollution-free energy source, readily available to all areas of
the Earth. Within our region of the solar system, possibly as far out as
the asteroid belt, unlimited energy is readily available. This is, of course,
solar energy and, within the limits of our technology, it is "free"
for the taking. What I mean is, that the investment needed to effectively
utilize this energy will only be a small fraction of the value of the energy
produced. Once the energy has been produced it will need to be sent to the
Earth. Research is being done now to develop effective, safe methods of
delivery; early results suggest the use of microwaves or lasers.
Additionally, large deposits of hydrogen 3 have been discovered on the moon.
Hydrogen 3 makes it possible to seriously consider fusion as a potential
energy source here on the Earth. Fusion is essentially a "clean"
method of producing energy that doesn't create the nuclear waste associated
with fission. However, initial tests of the process showed that there would
be radioactive by-products when "fuels" available here on the
Earth were used. Hydrogen 3 could be a solution to this problem. It would
be mined and processed on the Moon and then shipped to the Earth for use
in fusion power plants. There is enough hydrogen 3 available on the moon
to meet our energy needs here on the Earth for hundreds of years.
Four years ago I attended a Futures Seminar where we were asked to try to
imagine what could be the most significant development of the next 25 years.
What could happen that would most directly affect our way of living and
change the course of society? Can you guess what came up as the most dramatic
potential development? I'll give you a hint, it wasn't an unlimited supply
of energy. (PAUSE) Humanity's acceptance into an advanced intergalactic
society. I didn't think you'd guess it. But you do have to admit that it
would surely change the focus of our daily lives to a large degree.
Cheap, unlimited, pollution free energy was second. And, at that time, within
that group, this was considered to be almost as impossible as the former.
Now you're hearing this is one of the great potential advantages of space
industrialization. Have you stopped to think what it really means?
What if we were to run out of energy or were forced to dramatically cut
back on energy usage? What if political tensions in the Middle East were
to escalate to the point that would dramatically curtail oil resources?
How many of you remember the long lines waiting at the gas pumps a few years
ago? Do you remember the heating oil shortages? Do you know what it costs
per month to heat a one bedroom apartment in an area of the country where
it gets real cold? What if prices were to double, triple, or more? What
if sufficient gasoline weren't available? What if we never had hope of supplying
sufficient energy to the underdeveloped nations of the world?
Copyright 1998, Brad
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