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NASA says it will fly a Canadian to the Moon:
NASA just struck a historic deal with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) that will entail, for the first time in history, a non-US astronaut orbiting the Moon.
The agreement says that the CSA will help NASA with its upcoming Artemis Moon missions in exchange for a seat on some of the flights, according to Space.com. Not only is the CSA's support good news for the Artemis missions specifically, but it's a major international development in the future of crewed space exploration.
[...] "This will make Canada only the second country after the U.S. to have an astronaut in deep space... and send the first Canadian around the Moon," Navdeep Bains, Canada's government minister of innovation, science and industry said at a Wednesday press conference, according to Space.com.
(Score: 5, Touché) by FatPhil on Wednesday December 23 2020, @10:12PM (3 children)
No resources worth mentioning either, with the empasis on *worth*. The only resources that are out there are, unless there are asteroids of once-pure technetium, are resources we already have right under out feet. Then again, we have no need for technetium in large quantities, so even that would be useless.
But sure, burn a zillion tonnes of fuel in order to go and find a diamond the size of your fist if you think that's advancing humanity, just don't expect the sane to approve.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Socrastotle on Thursday December 24 2020, @03:05PM (2 children)
Okay, I suspect this is some sort of a reference. But I don't pop culture so well, so I'm going to take it at face value, because this topic is way too much fun. This [businessinsider.com] is San Francisco before it was developed. San Francisco is now one of the most valued places in to live in the world, in terms of real estate prices. But before development it was a barren wasteland that doesn't really look so different than a place like this [nasa.gov].
As for resources, there are two motivations.
#1) Asteroid mining. One of the most recently discovered asteroids is 16 Psyche [littleastronomy.com]. It's about the size of West Virginia yet made almost entirely of metal. Its estimated value is enough to literally make every human on Earth a billionaire. Of course that is a meaningless statement because that asteroid would crash the market for nearly all metals (after making the initial sellers unimaginably wealthy). And that is a phenomenal thing. As the price of metals plummets and scarcity of any sort becomes a thing of the past, it opens the door for even more unimaginable things we can achieve as a species. In the longrun we can even begin to consider things like Dyson Swarms which could also render energy itself a near infinite and near free resource. Space is how we will ultimately become a post-scarcity species.
#2) Planetary resources. When I speak of resources on places like Mars I don't really mean to extract them for profit. Rather the goal for Mars is to eventually become another self sustaining civilization. And those immense mineral resources are a critical component of this. The resources on Mars ensure that once a colony is successfully established - there will be essentially unlimited room for growth.
And on the sane not approving? Now there I fully agree with you! If we measured the validity of actions by popular consensus we'd all still be living in the plains of Africa running around throwing rocks and pointy sticks at each other! Africa is lush, comfortable, and has all you need to live a pleasant life with relatively minimal dangers. Look at the amazing natural beauty (and resources) of places like Liberia. [myworldshots.com] Who in their right mind would have ever wanted to give that up to wander off into completely unpopulated areas with freezing temperatures, far less natural resources, and that just generally do their best to kill you. Well, our ancestors for one. Colonization and technological revolution has never been for everyone and never will be. The sane approve of the present, while the insane choose to create the future. Suum cuique.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Friday December 25 2020, @01:51AM
I will applaud NASA when it brings back 200g of iron from this asteroid, instantly making everyone a gazillionaire.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 26 2020, @11:37AM
The sane look to the past before planning for the future. From your post follows that at least this much you understand. Then comes the part where either you're trying to make the case that you are clearly insane, a moron or a liar. Please clarify which point you were trying to make.
Hint: history did not stop after humans (or hominids) got out of Africa. Read up on it, there's a lesson or two in it that may even save your ass in the future you so much wish for.