Asian Persuasion
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Research Practice!
Research Question (I changed it): Is space colonization possible?
"In November, the House committee on science and technology released its report based on the hearings in July. It called for a 25 percent increase in NASA's funding, or some $750 million, "to lay the foundation for advanced projects, such as moon bases and orbital colonies." The chairman of the subcommittee which had held the hearings, Don Fuqua of Florida, issued a statement: "It is hard to predict tomorrow, and although I do not have the vision to say precisely where the future will take us, I do know that our space program is only in its infancy stage."
Heppenheimer, TA. 1977. "Colonies in Space." Chapter 2. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nss.org/settlement/ColoniesInSpace/index.html
My source for the research question that I will be investigating was found on the National Space Society's website. It is an electronic version of an old book which provides detail and information regarding space colonization of different planets and our technology. I believe that this is a very reliable source in that it is from a governmental agency and also because I followed the the original information that I found to this book that it was quoted from. I could use the information obtained from this book to highlight that fact that many people thought that space colonization was possible and within our limits of technology. But just as a declaimer, this book is from the late 70's and technology has dramatically changed resulting in a even more likelihood of colonizing space.
"Permanent communities can be built and inhabited off the Earth. The following chapters present a detailed description of a system for the colonization of space. It is not the best system that can be devised; nor is it complete. Not all the important questions about how and why to colonize space have been posed. Of those that have, not all have been answered satisfactorily. Nevertheless, the 10-week summer study is the most thorough and comprehensive one made to date. On its basis space colonization appears to be technically feasible, while the obstacles to further expansion of human frontiers in this way are principally philosophical, political, and social rather than technological."
Johnson RD, and Holbrow C. 1977. Space Settlements: A Design Study. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nss.org/settlement/nasa/75SummerStudy/Design.html
The above quotation is from the same site however it is different people's opinions on space habitation and whether it is possible or not; which is what my reserach question focuses on. This article talks about the specs and possiblities of space colonies and how they can thrive. This could be incorporated into my paper by telling what sort of technologies can allow us to do so.