On this Earth Day in the year 2310 we honor our former planet, that Great Brownish-Gray Marble, by looking further out into space where resources are bountiful and
plenty. The universe is full of opportunities to ensure
humanity's survival.
Here are some of the wonderful projects the Interspace Nations have in development:
Water Processing
Following the successful operation on Earth's moon next to the Ares settlement, sights are now set on Saturn's moon, Enceladus. Extracting water from the moon's icy surface once seemed impossible, but the new unmanned Tiger Stripe mission should prove that robots truly can achieve anything humans have put their minds to. The mined water will then undergo intensive filtration to remove organic materials, microbes, and other contaminants.
Asteroid Mining
The asteroid belt has already been an immense source of materials, including metal ores. As you know, solar-powered robotic equipment deployed from Earth's moon has mined asteroids for hydrogen, as well as nickel, iron, magnesium, and, crucially, water. The asteroids promise to continue yielding treasures well into the future.
Planetscaping
The early space exploration advocate and engineer Krafft Ehricke was right--human creativity has no limits. While humans did have to leave Earth and begin again, it's now possible to get it right. New plans for the Ares settlement include several impressive housing structures made from waterless concrete. Mars has been more of a challenge owing to its radiation levels, but that has been fully addressed with modern shielding technology and energy-efficient building, making "orange" the new "green." Revamped sleeping chambers have been certified to minimize the effects of partial gravity so inhabitants will live longer, fuller lives.
As part of the Space Development and Opportunity conference there will be a panel discussion on Martian economics in the space station theater this afternoon. Water will be provided.
Photo: A vintage image of Saturn's moon Enceladus from way back in June 2009. Credit: Cassini Imaging Team, SSI, JPL, ESA, and NASA.
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