io9
The next stage of human expansion will probably be into space, and the best place to start will be with a moon colony. Sure it's not as cool as Mars, but it's close by, which means easy rescue from Earth if things go wrong and a thriving tourism industry to support early colonization efforts. Maybe we can even build a space elevator to help people get there and back really quickly. Obviously we'd all love to visit the moon colony tomorrow, but it's not likely to exist for another 30 years at least. What can you put on your to-do list now to make sure the moon colony gets built faster?
To-Do List for Futurists: Create a Moon Colony
1. Today: Find out more about what's necessary to create a moon colony by reading about two experiments in contained-atmosphere colony life. On Earth, a group of people tried to live inside a completely sealed biodome to test out theories of dome life on other planets. They stayed inside Biosphere 2 for over two years. Read the first-person account of one of the survivors of the experiment, Jane Poynter. Her book is called The Human Experiment: Two Years and Twenty Minutes Inside Biosphere 2. Last year, a team at the International Space University came up with a plan for how they'd create an 11-person moon base. Their document is free online, and is called the Moon Colony Blueprint [PDF].
2. This week: Grow plants with LEDs. LEDs are low-energy, high-efficiency lights that feed your plants the exact chunk of spectrum they need to grow, without all that extra stuff that sucks up energy. For these reasons, it's almost certain that moon colonists will use LEDs to grow plants. You can help by starting an LED plant farm in your own home, and demonstrating the benefits. Instructables has a great tutorial on how to set up your own LED moonfarm.
3. This month: Many scientists believe that the best way to establish a moon colony will be to set up a space elevator which allows people to travel between Earth and the Moon very rapidly. A few companies are already prototyping materials for space elevators, and the Spaceward Foundation has an annual contest (with lots of prize money) for people who want to test components of a potential space elevator. Read all about it and get a team together to enter the space elevator competition this year. [The Spaceward Foundation]
4. This month: On the moon, colonists will have to recreate Earth nature from scratch, inside an artificial environment. They'll be trying to make a biosphere, containing plants, animals, and a system for recycling all waste back into the environment. Now you can help advance knowledge about biosphere dynamics by building a tabletop biosphere, a tiny version of what colonists might create on the moon under domes. Of course, Bre Pettis from MAKE magazine can explain it all for you. [MAKE]
5. This year: Enrich your brain and support the burgeoning commercial space industry by visiting a real-life space port. [Mojave Space Port]
Comments
Really, what the moon colonists will need more than anything is entertainment.
That is why, shortly after the moon colony is established, we must send them the first Moon Theatre Troupe.
I am building a full-scale replica of a Saturn V in my backyard.
The next stage of human expansion will probably be into space
The 1940s called. They want their prediction back. ;-)
@braak: Naw, they'll just want high speed internet.
"Moon colony preparation" -- that's the excuse I tried to feed the cops for the plants they found in my closet.
@Annalee Newitz: Ohh. So, we're just sending some WoW nerds to the moon?
That's actually a great idea. Plop them down in front of the LCD, give them some of that astronaut space-food and a catheter.
Shit, they probably wouldn't even notice.
@braak: they'd notice the catheter but only because the urinary catheterisation would probably distract them just enough to cause a dip in their DPS numbers.
@braak:
Moon Theatre Troop? For what...saucey puppet shows?
I envision a sort of "interactive" sort of theatre. You know, where the third wall is broken and audience members can "get in" on the action...if you take my meaning..
I'll get someone to make some Rudi Genrich jumpsuits. Sorry guys, but I get to wear the only one with the black sleeve.
Great, you guys take care of the plants and LED lights in your bedrooms. I'll take care of populating that colony from mine.
kakow!
So space elevators aren't a quick way to get into space, but a cheap way. If the elevator's climb speed is in the 100mph range, you're looking at a 4-5 day trip into geostationary orbit.
I'm betting on Launch Loops in the "rides to space" category.
@braak: Hmmm, I'm intrigued by the prospect of low-gravity scenery. (Yeah, I build fake houses for a living.)
I can't imagine what the price of a sheet of plywood would cost, though...!
@tetracycloide:
"Oh, man, I can't sit right! It's moved my base keyboard position a half a centimeter out of place, so I keep using the wrong re-mapped keys! What's going on?...Oh. There's some kind of tube in my penis. Also, I appear to be on the moon."
@braak:
Well, I guess if there's gonna be WoW on the moon, that's OK by me. I doubt there'll be DnD on the moon, though. Imagine trying to roll your 20-sided die in 1/6 gravity!
The Moon just isn't that interesting to me. After we put an atmosphere around it, maybe. Wouldn't that be cool to see from Earth?
Hey, speaking of the moon... Is Rolling Rock really trying to beam an ad to the moon, or is that just a hoax publicity stunt.. furthermore. if they are... wouldn't it make more sense to shine something on it when the moon wasn't full?
A space elevator seems like a great idea until you realize that the last asshole on it pushed the buttons for all of the floors.
@Hobbity: Really bouncy!
@ManchuCandidate: Don't forget the chunky platform heels.
@Garrison Dean: It's a joke. Bad Astronomy explains: [tinyurl.com]
@Tim Faulkner:
I'll bet those new grow LED's don't have that tell-tale thermal signature.
No more infra-red hot-spots on the roof.
Cultivate in coolness.
A cottage industry revolution!
@Imipolex_G-Unit: And five hours of Muzak. AAAAIIEEEE!!
@Grey_Area:
"Going up?"
"Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah
When she walks, shes like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ooh"
It's a long song...
@Zantor: Thank you, Space Race.
I'll bet "High Times" magazine does a special edition on this.
@kcquestor: Thanks.. I'm glad someone over there made the necessary Chairface comment.
It's not like they tried building an elevator to the moon...
That idea did indeed exist.
The Biodome project was destroyed by short-sighted and jealous scientists who saw it as a threat to their myopic disciplines - and by the media who made it a public joke.
So it put the Human race 20 years behind in space exploration. So what? It gave Pauli Shore work.
@NeoPoliticus: The Biodome project was destroyed by its own (mis)management and deception. There's a good 2005 summary of the whole thing at The Space Review.
I do understand that Pauly Shore's career seems like it must have been the result of a conspiracy, but it wasn't scientists behind it.
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