HSC@MIT-MC@sri-unix (09/01/82)
From: Stewart Cobb <HSC at MIT-MC>
Development of computer software and servo technology which will
allow us to do useful work remotely despite the speed-of-light lag
(2-3 seconds to Moon, much longer to Mars and such) is one of the
things that will probably have to be done eventually as we go to work
in space, but which can be R&D'd right here on Earth with only a small
investment in hardware. The other such project which comes to mind is
the development of a successful closed ecology which can keep several
humans alive for a year or more. If you start small (i.e. rats
instead of humans) this can be researched by individuals or small
groups without expending a whole lot of money. Indeed, closed
ecologies were popular science fair projects back in the Fifties and
Sixties. Unfortunately, interest seems to have waned about the time
the "ecology" movement became popular.
On another topic, there may be a little confusion caused by the
fact that there are TWO groups known by the acronym SSI. The Space
Studies Institute, O'Neill's group in Princeton, does low-budget (but
high-quality) research like the projects mentioned above. Space
Services, Inc., is a private company attempting to develop a private
orbital launch service (something like OTRAG). They blew up a
liquid-fueled booster of their own design (the Percheron) late last
summer; supposedly they're going to try again with a different rocket
on September 8. There's also a group with the acronym STS (Space
Transportation Services, I think), also based in Princeton. They have
a financial slant -- last spring they offered to buy the fifth Shuttle
orbiter from Rockwell ($1 billion) and give it to NASA, in return for
being allowed to handle the marketing of launch services for ALL the
Shuttles. I don't know what ever became of that offer.
Stewart (hsc@mit-mc)