Carl Sagan said that mankind would have to explore space to
survive. Yet budget and programme cuts are such that NASA
has to pay Russia $62.7 million per astronaut they carry to
the International Space Station aboard Soyuz vessels.
Written from an American point of view, but ultimately the
view of humanity's future, this factual book presents the
benefits to be gained from space exploration and the ways
in which it may be done.
MANKIND BEYOND EARTH admits that robots are cheaper and
easier to send as explorers than to send all the support
system that fragile humans require. Yet manned space
missions have resulted in many spinoff benefits, such as
the famous Teflon, better prosthetics, telemedicine, better
preserved foods, better kidney dialysis machines and
advances in aviation safety. Space science has given us
better satellites, so better communications, forecasting
and views of changing climates - and detection of near-
flying asteroids. And pure research will benefit humanity,
whether in the field of physics or seeing if a biodome can
grow enough food to support life on the Moon.
One of Claude Piantadosi's agendas is returning to the
Moon, as a testing ground for the survival systems we will
need to explore Mars. He analyses the delays and problems
at NASA, explaining that when innovators get stifled by red
tape and budget cuts they skip off to private industry. We
have come an awe-inspiring distance since the start of the
twentieth century, when heavier-than-air fight was first
achieved. We have landed a robot on Titan, Saturn's
largest moon, and Mars Rovers send back data.
Biomedicine tells us how we can live under stressful
conditions, such as a year in space. We see comparisons
with Tibetan and Andean populations, each of which has
found a different adaptation to altitude. Polar
explorations and undersea experience are all steps along
the journey. Space exploration to date is of course
reprised, including the tragic accidents. Living off local
and recycled resources is the only way to establish a
stable home of any size beyond the Moon, as the cost and
difficulty of resupply would be prohibitive. The current
technology for space travel is explained from solar power
to nuclear power. Recycling and discovering water and
oxygen are top priority for any new base. Growing food and
consuming nutrients will be vital. Away from sunlight our
vitamin D levels drop, and combined with microgravity our
bones will become brittle. The author explores the
currently understood physiological alterations of space
travel on astronauts. Radiation is a major hazard. And what
to do with the trash, from human waste to food packaging
and shredded clothing? Start a waste dump on Mars?
As to where we can go, Venus is a hazardously hot
environment so Mars is the obvious challenge. We see how
this may be accomplished and some of the possible issues.
We could also visit small bodies such as asteroids or some
moons of larger planets, such as Titan and Ganymede.
Further away are other stars but we would need fast
propulsion to reach those in any reasonable timeframe.
I was astonished to see that Piantadosi still thinks
Mercury is tidally locked to the sun (page 56). Maybe this
was just badly phrased? We know now that due to orbital
factors we happen to see the same face each time it comes
around, but each 'day' on Mercury lasts two of
its 'years'. A certain level of astrophysics is required
to get the best out of this book, but even looking up the
Lagrange points on a site like Wikipedia will give clear
helpful diagrams and astronomers from teens to adults will
be fascinated. So many combined sciences are represented
here that we can see biologists, medics, engineers,
chemists and mechanics will all be needed if Earth people
are ever to call another world home. If one section is
outside your experience the next section may prove easier
to read, and no area is too long drawn out for there are so
many factors to consider.
As a lifelong science fiction fan I enjoyed catching up
with the latest science in MANKIND BEYOND EARTH and seeing
how we may finally live those dreams.
Seeking to reenergize Americans’ passion for the space
program, the value of the Moon, and the importance of
people in the final frontier, Claude A. Piantadosi presents
a rich history of American space exploration and its
extraordinary achievements. He emphasizes the importance of
continuing manned and unmanned space missions to American
and human interests, and he stresses the many adventures
that still await us in the unfolding universe. Remaining
cognizant of space exploration’s practical and financial
obstacles, Piantadosi nevertheless challenges us to
revitalize our leadership in space and reap its vast
scientific bounty.
Along with being a captivating story of ambition,
invention, and discovery, Piantadosi’s history explains why
space exploration is increasingly difficult and why space
experts always seem to disagree. He argues that the future
of the space program requires merging the practicalities of
exploration with the constraints of human biology. Space
science deals with the unknown, and the margin (and budget)
for error is small. Lethal near-vacuum conditions, deadly
cosmic radiation, microgravity, vast distances, and highly
scattered resources remain immense physical problems. To be
competitive, America needs to develop affordable space
transportation and flexible exploration strategies grounded
in sound science. Piantadosi closes with suggestions for
accomplishing these goals, combining his skepticism as a
scientist with an unshakable belief in space’s untapped—and
wholly worthwhile—potential
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