Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!REM@MIT-MC From: REM%MIT-MC@sri-unix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.space Subject: MAYBE WE NEED A NEW DIRECTION Message-ID: <3347@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Fri, 22-Jul-83 11:55:00 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.3347 Posted: Fri Jul 22 11:55:00 1983 Date-Received: Mon, 25-Jul-83 22:32:24 EDT Lines: 32 From: Robert Elton MaasJamestown and Plymouth were founded by those persecuted who wanted to escape. Earlier, Columbus staffed his ships with prisoners who would get a pardon if they volunteered to sail off the edge of the Earth. Rotting in jail was more painful than instant edge-of-earth death, and there was always the possibility that the ship might get stranded on some island before reaching the edge, or they might escape somehow, so they chose the voyage. Do we want to do the same now, force death-row people to fly to space? Warning, in those days, you went to jail for life because you were bankrupt, your debts were greater than your assets, often because somebody cheated you and you couldn't prove it. Thus for the most part those crews were good people in desperate situations. Nowadays most death-row innamtes are multiple murderers who killed for money, not the best crew for space adventures. Or do we want to return to the days when bankrupt people went to jail and rotted there? I really don't think we can afford to send people up on risky flights. Normal people will refuse to go, and criminals will be criminals and sabotage the launch so they have a chance to escape or just be totally incompetant to get useful work done. Thus we have to go with moderately safe vehicles, although perhaps not as safe as NASA has traditionally enforced. /----------------/ Regarding the question of space development vs. sensors&weapons: I agree, although Einstein/Uhura and IRAS were/are wonderful, and space-based defense against ICBMs may be necessary for our survival, we really need to work on materials and habitat too!