February 16, 2004
Two-Planet Species

Taylor Dinerman takes a look at Bush's Space Vision and America's Future:

The core justification for this space program's objectives is embodied in the idea that America will "extend human presence across the solar system." This could be the charter for a new 'spacefaring' civilization. The ones we have here on Earth are either colliding with each other, collapsing from within, or doing both at the same time.

Western civilization is finding ever more creative ways to be decadent, while major parts of Islamic civilization bubble over with envy, rage and hate. China, a civilization unto itself, has for the moment integrated a capitalistic bubble economy within a one-party communist political system, which probably will not last for long.

I spoke on the topic of Mars over the weekend to a local SF fan group. Of all the things I said, I was quite surprised that, of all the reasons I listed for why we should settle Mars, the idea that we should be a "two-planet species" was the one that had the most impact.

It's nice to see this idea gaining currency, and along with it the broader related notion that we should go to Mars to settle it, for human reasons, and not just for pure-science data gathering. I want humans to go to Mars to stay, to develop a new world, not to do field research on some hairsplittingly obscure aspect of some natural phenomenon or other for somebody's next academic paper that nobody will ever read.

Posted by T.L. James on February 16, 2004 07:53 PM

Comments

idea that we should be a "two-planet species" was the one that had the most impact.


Typical two-dimensional thinking. Why does it have to be a planet ?



Posted by: kert at February 17, 2004 07:23 AM

Because you don't have to build a planet to live on it.



Posted by: T.L. James at February 17, 2004 11:49 AM

All things considered, you pretty much have to, unless there happens to be a previously unknown earthlike planet in vicinity.
Or similarly, you dont have to build yourself a luna or jovian moon to live on it.
But i dont think its important to discuss it over here again and again, i believe we have both heard many arguments in favor of settling the various moons, deep space, and all the possible planets.

What im saying is, no need to start limiting our options in this early stage.



Posted by: kert at February 17, 2004 05:06 PM

Kert, there just happens to be an Earth-like planet in our vicinity... capable of supporting plantlife, the most important aspect of long-term survivability, in a near 24 hour daylight cycle.

You get one guess as to which planet that is.



Posted by: ken anthony at February 22, 2004 08:44 PM