Category Archives: Technology and Society

Top Ten Technology Predictions

Lousy ones, that is. I think we may be able to add this one to the list:

The Crew Exploration Vehicle, the associated Crew Launch Vehicle, and later the Heavy Lift Vehicle, will be the 21st century space equivalent of our interstate highways. This is the core infrastructure that will enable us to travel from the surface of the Earth to the Moon, Mars, and the near-Earth asteroids.

This kind of space travel is utter bilge.

[Via Geek Press]

The Director’s Cut

When I wrote The Path Not Taken, over four years ago, for The New Atlantis, the original draft had to be cut to meet page-count requirements on the dead-tree edition (and it was also edited somewhat for style and content). I’ve decided to put the original, unedited draft on line for those interested, because it made some points that ended up on the cutting-room floor in the published piece, particularly regarding vehicle reliability.

It’s an even longer read now than the published one, but enjoy. Or not.