On Wednesday, November 08, 2006 10:43, Dr. Core wrote: > But on the bragging rights side... if say by 2050 China, India, and > perhaps Russia and maybe even one or two private companies all manage > to put men on the Moon, then US will have no obvious distinction > amongst many space powers. That will really put pressure on the US gov > to do something spectacular. Like landing on Mars, perhaps?
I hope that just taking the next step farther out doesn't continue to be the benchmark for success or leadership as a "space power" going forward. That's like measuring success or leadership as a "nuclear power" by exploding the greatest megatonnage or measuring success or leadership as a "economic power" by acquiring the greatest per-capita wealth. What's needed to demonstrate true success or leadership is to consolidate the gains already made and develop a sustainable and productive presence in space. The first entity, national or corporate, that establishes regularized commercial space travel, even if its only containerized cargo and not passenger service, will take the lead and become the first success story. The first entity, national or corporate, that builds an orbital facility that either produces an actual product, such broadcast energy or manufactured goods, consumed here on Earth or provides an actual service, such as "space resort" or other locus for space tourism, readily available to those here on Earth will become the true leaders, the "space power" that sets the standards that others must follow or exceed. Until a space program actually provides some tangible and direct return on investment, not just a few indirect technological spin-offs, it'll continue to be a stunt, whose only real value is the aforementioned "bragging rights" that bolster national pride and its associated propaganda mill. Unless you're in it for the long term and going up there for a reason, it's just a novelty... -Z- -------------------------------------------------- The Gundam Mailing List MK-II [email protected] Archives: http://www.gundam.com/gml Help: Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] with this in the BODY: help list
