Bendable solar cells, much thinner than a human hair.
Category Archives: Technology and Society
Asteroid Day
Thoughts from Instapundit.
I should note that all of the technologies needed to get to Mars would also help a lot in improving our ability to herd asteroids.
[Update a few minutes later]
Thoughts from Oliver Morton from a year ago: Taking the hit.
A Grand Solar Minimum
It may be happening:
The policy significance of this issue is clear: if we are headed to a mid-20th century solar minimum, or a Grand Solar Minimum for the next two centuries, this will offset greenhouse warming to some extent. The extent of the offset depends on whether climate sensitivity to CO2 is on the larger or smaller end of the range of estimates, and the magnitude of the solar impact. But the sign of the solar offset is becoming increasingly clear: towards cooling.
One of the reasons I’ve been skeptical about claims that carbon will be catastrophic is the willful insistence on ignoring the sun, and I can’t think of any reason to do it than because we don’t understand it, and therefore it can’t be included in the hysterical modeling, and it can’t fit the narrative. I continue to believe that what we don’t understand about climate is much greater than what we do.
[Update a few minutes later]
Is the dam bursting? Climate researchers who have previously denigrated solar activity as being insignificant are now warning of a new mini ice age.
I really have trouble taking any of this seriously.
ULA
I’d been aware of their plans for large-scale activity in cislunar space (and even talk about it in the monograph), but this is the first I’d heard that they are offering to purchase water in space, with a price for various locations.
[Thursday-morning update]
Sort of related: Seeing on Twitter that they’re laying people off today. Not sure what that means.
[Afternoon update]
Here’s the story at the Denver Post. Looks like about 10% company wide. A literal decimation.
The Future Of Rockets
Thoughts from Eric Berger, which I missed last week due to the funeral and the conference.
From my monograph:
NASA gave up on reusability a decade ago, when Mike Griffin selected Constellation, with its expendable launch systems, capsule, insertion stages and landers. It could in fact be argued that Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) gave up on it after it was given responsibility for it in the 1990s, which it turned into the failed X-33 program, which failure the center then used as an excuse to illogically claim that reusability didn’t work.
One tech I didn't recommend that NASA develop for Mars: Low-cost access to space. Private sector is already taking care of that.
— Apostle To Morons (@Rand_Simberg) June 29, 2016
Gaia’s Riches
Rediscovering them.
We’re not running out of anything on earth any time soon. That’s no reason not to open up off-planet resources, though.
California’s “High-Speed” Rail Fiasco
Is it finally about to run off the tracks? Let’s hope.
Helium
This is good news. A new supply has been discovered, with potential for much more.
Ending Apolloism
I’ve posted an update on my SLS Roadblock project, for those interested. The document itself can be found here. I’ll be interested in feedback.
[Tuesday-morning update]
Related: Growing a spacecraft for artificial gravity.
Half a million dollars. 0.03% of what we’re spending annually on SLS/Orion.
[Tuesday-morning update]
I’ve fixed a few problems with the document, including some missing figures, so you might want to refresh or download again.
Colonizing The Solar System
The five most livable places (aside from earth). They’ll all take a lot of tech, though. Of course, if you build your own, you can put them wherever you want.