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WFI 2011: A space topic odyssey. Prefatory comments. I am not an expert. I hold degrees in political science and communication, not theoretical physics. The only morally permissible space jokes are Star Wars related. The Resolution.
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Prefatory comments • I am not an expert. I hold degrees in political science and communication, not theoretical physics. • The only morally permissible space jokes are Star Wars related.
The Resolution • Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its exploration and/or development of space beyond the Earth’s mesosphere.
Mesosphere • Who are the ad wizards who came up with that one? • What it is: the zone of the Earth’s atmosphere between the stratosphere and the thermosphere. • What it is not (at least not now): a subterranean section of the Earth’s mantle.
So, what is out there? • Planets • Stars • Nebulae • Galaxies • Orbitals and NEOs • Dark matter and black holes • Solar System
The Solar System • Terrestrial planets • Jovian planets • Trans-Neptunian region • Asteroid belt • Oort cloud
American Space Policy • Cold War origins (Mercury, Gemini, Apollo) • Space Shuttle • Space Dominance (Reagan/Bush) • End of crewed space flight (Obama)
America’s Space Infrastructure • NASA • DOD • NOAA/OSC
International Space Context • Russia • China • European Union • Japan • India • ISS • OST
Space policy at a Cross-Roads • Cost, cost, cost • Physics • Human space flight • Private Sector • Leadership or Dominance
Global space issues • Debris • Appropriation • Finite resources • Equitable development • Environmental factors
Affirmatives 7 Major categories: • Colonization • Resources • Military • Space access technology • Propulsion Technology • Space science • Pseudo-topical mechanisms
Extra-solar colonization. • Inter-generational flight. • Von Neumann probes • Life-seeding.
Inner-solar Colonization • Mars: • A) Robotic • B) Manned • C) One-way/Two-way • Moon • Titan
Resources • Asteroid/NEO mining • Lunar mining • Lunar solar power • Space Based Solar Power
Military affirmatives • Space weaponization • SBI/BMD • ASATs • SBL • KEWs
Space Technology • Constellation • Reusable launch vehicle • Rail-guns • Space elevator
Propulsion technology • Solar sails • Nuclear detonations • Ion engines • Anti-matter
Remote exploration • Asteroid mapping/defense • Deep space/origins research • ISS (expand or new) • Remote sensing • Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI)
Pseudo-topical Mechanisms • Property rights recognition. • Consortiums • New international regimes
Impact/advantage controversies • The Lifeboat • Hegemony/Leadership • Economy • Energy/Environment • Space weapons • Space debris • Whacky stuff • Contamination/Viruses • International law • International relations