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Courtesy axeman3d via Flickr
This one’s for Master Dreamer Kelly Canfield and all of us who ever dreamt about going into space.
Using space-faring robots to mine precious metals from asteroids almost sounds easy when former astronaut Tom Jones describes it — practically like clearing a snow-covered driveway.
This is the stuff dreams of boys and girls were made of from the ’40′s on! This is what Heinlein, Asimov, Andre Norton (a woman writer), EE Doc Smith, Poul Anderson, Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C Clarke, Philip K. DIck . . . You Know, These Guys!
I grew up on those books by those authors . . . there were comics, too, but in our family it was paperback city . . . I had all the Tom Swift, Jr. hardbacks tho, at one time. My grandfather had willed us his collection of Tom Swift, Sr. books at one time, they disappeared over years, likely sold to pay bills.
The Stars Are Ours, Moons Of Titan, The Lensman, Skylark Of Space, The Green Hills Of Earth, The Beastmaster . . . . hundreds more, they all bring dreams of space, adventure, new things and humans off into the cosmos to explore them!!!!
And The Time Of Our Dreams Is Nigh. Robotic Ships, Asteroid Mining.
Outside experts are skeptical because the program would probably require untold millions or perhaps billions of dollars, plus huge advances in technology. Yet the same entrepreneurs behind this idea also pioneered the selling of space rides to tourists — a notion that seemed fanciful not long ago.*
Sadly, those dreams are now venture capitalized, leveraged buy in’s, profit driven and a product of the 1% to grasp resources, power and control of it all . . . I think, I liked our dreams better.
*My bold face
83 Comments
When this planet goes black and cold, will we have collectively left the “cradle, endlessly rocking” into the great Unknown?
You recollect Our Most Human Dream.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq9IhOhQt40
Yeah, aside from that first log thump and the first reply, the dream of the stars is one of the paramount facets of our species.
Communication, then exploration.
Heh, Doors . . . there’s astral travel, n then there’s mind trips.
Morrison’s rocket ship was a needle, the song a paen to that rush and gentle comfort it brought . . .
Who knows, he might be out there on that astral plane somewhere, 2,000 Light Years From Home.
Thanks for stoppin by . . . *bows*
Oh, Larue, you’ve done it again.
Thanks, babe.
Makes me want to get my flashlight out and climb under the covers and read.
There is a movie of the flyby Asteroid Lutetia. It does look like a big rock.
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120424.html
“Rosetta spacecraft is continuing onto comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko where a landing is planned for 2014.”
If the capitalists want to keep a growth-based economy, they have to go beyond Earth because they’ve already taken all the easy-to-get resources here. Heaven forfend they try to figure out how to live sustainably!
Cool!
I have no idea what the purpose is for making “precious metal” more abundant
unless that metal necessary and in short, the only real purpose is to depress the market and make those metals less “precious”
in essence, they will be making money from those who own those metals, the value on their assets will decline
for instance, if I have my retirement invested in gold and these people bring back gold and pay their bills with said gold, that will with no doubt devalue my retirement portfolio
so they will be paying their bills with my money
BRILLIANT!
In other tech news, Equipment Maker Caught Installing Backdoor Account in Control System Code.
Thanks for stopping by folks, appreciate the reads and comments.
Busy today, can’t reply to everyone . . . glad I may have given someone something to read the talk about . . . dream wise, the stars are embedded in our species psyche, the clarion call . . . the sirens wailing that we will never outgrow.
I bit of sanity and refuge from the reality is always good for our souls.
Namaste to all.
Hey Larue, thanks for this delightful little post. You mentioned authors and the Tom Swift series, which me & my friends devoured when we were in Jr. High & HS.
“I…I don’t know what to say,” billyc stammered. *g* Remember the Tom Swifties?
“I think that’s a frog,” Tom Swift croaked.
The first 25 books in the Tom Swift, Sr. series are in the public domain so they are available as downloads from Project Guttenberg – don’t know the URL but I’m sure it can be googled.
I was thinking of Tom Swift the other day when I explained the origin of the character the Lone Ranger to my niece. That’s when I recalled how those books fueled my imagination as a kid. Thanks for this post!
Hey Larue; didn’t realize we had this in common; Roger Zelzany, Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle,Colin Wilson; waited anxiously each month for Astounding/Analog; glad to see they included Aldous Huxley and Harlan Ellison though including Ayn Rand on he basis of one book is questionable.
Did you ever catch the Babylon 5 series? Classic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsGDiYlMFuk&feature=fvst
Larue, we would like each other’s book collections. Because I liked the original Star Trek when I was 8 years old, a well-meaning aunt gave me a little paperback for Christmas, The Last Planet(originally and currently called The Star Rangers), by Andre Norton.
She created a sci-fi monster.
But some of those books and authors you mention did use capitalism as a driving force to reach for the stars. The problem is, once people get out there they’re just too difficult for the PTB to control.
That’s probably the real reason we’re not in the asteroids yet.
Larue who gave You MY reading List??
Recommended stuff of dreams… during HS I worked just down the street from the Copley Sq library (main lib for Boston) and made my way through of most of the ScFi section nary missed a book and as for PPBacks I had boxes and boxes of them…
WQQT Front paged!!!
larue! front paged! front paged for late nite! woohoo — congrats dood!!!
LN Time Travel! It’s Still Yesterday!
P.s. I was weekend-sitting two preteens, we all excited! went to see Dune (me for Sean Young, natch). After, we all learned that each of us wanted to ask the other two if we could walk out it was so bad but figured the other two wanted to stay.
And now, an OT moment of outrage: TSA defends patdown of hysterical 4-year-old girl.
This isn’t security. This is bullying, pure and simple.
Of course it is. That is all it has ever really been. Terrorize the American public with fears of mythic terrorist bugaboos and they won’t ask too many questions about your actual policies.
I was just alerted by email from a dear friend that this diary made it to the main FDL Page!
I’m shocked, SHOCKED I tell ya!
BilC, yeah, them Sr n Jr books were top shelf for me, recall the Tom Corbett, Space Cadet series?
1) Name Swift Jr.’s copilot/pal.
2) Name crew, first and last names, of Corbett’s travels and travails.
;-)
N thanks for stopping by. *B*
Zelany and Niven are wonders.
Are you kidding? Babylon 5?
Recall Chiggie von Richtoven?
“It’s good to seee you my friend.” he said in his best Molinori voice.
I loved that guy.
Delaine, and all the others.
Huh!!!
*G*
Heh, that was one I recall reading, Star Rangers . . . Norton was prolific. Hundreds of books . . . I wore the paperbacks out.
*G*
I remember them, but only vaguely. I remember reading my uncle’s collection of 1950s Sci-Fi, which I inherited, when I was in my early teens much better. A. E. van Vogt, Asimov, Heinlein, Pohl Anderson, Dick, and so many others.
Ah, the giants.
Howdy Hoss!
Seems I’ve struck a vein in folks . . . ;-)
Bless ya and all the others . . . n thanks FDL . . .
Front Page On The MotherSHip?
For THIS little effort?
Wow . . . *bows*
It’s a first, I’m greatly humbled, and now I’d like to thank my sponsors, my parents, my wife, producers, directors, writers, the back stage crew whom without this could not have been possible, the graphics folks for the INCREDIBLE shot I finally used, FDL editors for finessing the layout which is LOVELY dahling, just lovely . . . I went pic left, yer choice of pic right is solid n right on . . . love it.
Not forgetting the boys in the band, and our producer, Reg Thorpe (fish out THAT lyric n band if ya think yer hotshots) . . .
*G*
N bless Suz Queen Of LLN for the heads up on this, or I would have missed it until tomorrow, bless ya gal . . . my heart out to yas, hope yer healing fast.
*blownaway*
SHOCKED!
I’m SHOCKED I TELL YOU N NAHANT!!!!
*G*
It’s unrealistic. With a less than than 3 year break even for most ventures the time frame for the round trip to the asteroids is too great for any earthbound venture fund.
And there’s probably no oil there.
The 1% will continue to gamble with derivatives.
tis a good post dood — when i saw it on the front page i was so happy for ya — and wanted to make sure ya knew.
The Dune Trilogy is legandary, along with the Hobbit N Rings, likely the most read by me.
Only The Lensman series and Skylark eries, Martian Chronicles, and Stranger In A Strange Land rank up in that stratosphere of loving for the genre.
Thanks for stopping by!
*elated*
Agreed, a part of reality sci fi can’t cover for.
larue, that’s a stones lyricfrom the closing track of their between the buttons album, 1967
There is a Goddess!
(although it took me a minute to get here. the gremlins be workin’ on my tubes tonight.)
Suzanne! So many thoughts going out to you at all times of the day from me to whatever is receiving kind thoughts and making some action possible.
But….LaRueeeeeeee!
van Vogt, one I missed listing . . . there were so many and I have to thank my parents.
From early ages we had these books in our houses overseas, along with medevil things (Atrhurian Legend stuff) . . . all three of us kids were brought up reading hour upon hour each day . . . shaped us for what we became as we got older.
Well, that and living overseas in various cultures, learning other languages as kids . . . that’ll shape ya . . .
The hard part was coming home to the USA and having to learn, most folks had NO clue as to the rest of the world, and watching how cruel kids and adults could be to those not like them . . . not us, but others of varying skin colors and newly to the USA, were villified on the playground daily.
Hell of a shock to me, lasted until thru high school . . . n has never gone away.
Thanks for stopping by, you n the Evil Doc, too . . . *bows*
Damn Sy, no dreams from you tonite, are there.
;-)
No stars in yer eyes?
Always a delight to be around someone as passionate and loving as yourself.
Huggies n hopes gal for your best recovery n such.
Bless ya for the notice . . . stay in touch!!!
*G*
She shoots, she SCORES!!!!!!!
One of the great unsung albums by the boys.
Song was Something Happened To Me Yesterday, allegedly about LSD, n an old school marching/dance band in a gazebo in the park on a lazy weekend day.
“And if yer out on yer bike tonite, don’t forget, wear white. Evenin all.”
The album with Ruby Tuesday on it for those who forget these things.
SUZ WINS!!!! *G*
Shut up n pick and hug THIS, girlie . . .
Oh, cook me something good!
*G*
Thanks . . . n yeah, big good thoughts for all Suz has gone thru.
I’m sure she could use a lil FDL Firebaggin help ;-)
Are you old enough to remember the Flash Gordon serials that were shown on TV?
“Only The Lensman series and Skylark eries, Martian Chronicles, and Stranger In A Strange Land rank up in that stratosphere of loving for the genre.” ; I add “the Mind Parasites” by Colin Wilson and “Beyond the Blue Event Horizon” (and the associated HeeChee novels) by Pohl to that “stratosphere”.
Some of those were shown on the local stations where I grew up, along with others, in the early 60s. Of course, I am old (having been born at the end of the Truman administration).
Well,la-dee-dah, look at that, Larue-Clique Member Since LibbyGate is all front pagey and such. :)
Weeee!
Hey, Kelly! How’s life in the central Rockies? Up here in the north, it has been gorgeous lately, but that is coming to a screeching halt tomorrow night. On the upside, it promises to bring us some needed rain.
Heh, yer good, I’m not so sure about that loving part, tho . . .
*G*
I have met few people whose hearts were as full of the love of humanity as yours.
We were overseas in the 50′s n early 60′s, no Flash TV memories.
The others you mention, as always, worthy.
Altho, I don’t know Colin Wilson at all . . . got linky to inform?
Ya wascal.
;-)
TWO MARTOONIS UP!!!
The Stars Are Ours!
I’m gonna bust out bawling like a baby if ya keep this up, Doc.
SRSLY . . .
I guess you’ve forgotten my hate filled invectives lodged against them that are not like me . . . ;-)
Hey Dr. D!
Too hot here! 88 yesterday, very freaky, 80 today, and prolly cooler and rain this weekend. We need it.
What, no Harry Harrison? “Bill, the Galactic Hero”! Truly, a bitter tale for our times.
On a side note, the core of the story in the “Foundation” and “I, Robot” books (by Isaac Asimov) was that the earth was ruined by careless use of radioactive materials, making it uninhabitable by even robots. Isn’t there some sort of message there?
The home movies of Spirit and Opportunity are my favorites! I’m tickled to call them my robot cousins abroad.
Voyager’s stuff still knocks my socks off. When I think how little these missions cost, I sob over the money wasted on vanity wars and “security”.
*clink!*
Oh My Stars…! Larue, front paged for Late Nite…? I suppose stranger sh*t does happen all the time…! ;-)
Wilson
And FWIW, Roddenberry’s “transporter’ in Star Trek owes it’s existence to the same idea being put forth in the Buck Rogers serial of the 1930′s
Depending on the greater weather swell mix that gets to ya, between the upswelling from the south and the cooler swelliing we’re getting from the north, and how it mixes, I Have A Prediction!
In the next two days you will endure periods of dense rains, occasional snowfalls and freezing temperatures, interspersed by 10 minute periods of drought, intense heat, followed by frogs falling from the sky.
Course, that’s pretty much like it is in CO or the Sierra Nevada here for the most part.
lol
Was born before that and watched them in the 50′s; interesting that they were still being shown in the 60′s.
We have only been up in the 70s here, though came close to 80 earlier this week. That is only about 20 degrees above average. One consequence is a lot of flood warnings because of melting snowpack.
Spirit?
I burnt out a few 8 track tapes and such in the day.
Fresh Garbage.
Thanks for stopping by n giving me a hit of Spirit!
*G*
Indeed.
;-)
Time for me to toddle off. I have young minds to corrupt at *:00 tomorrow morning and we are talking about human trafficking, so I need my strength. Take care all.
I’m a tellin ya hoss, this has been quite a ride.
I’m honored beyond belief.
N it wasn’t even a rant . . . (go figger) ;-)
Thanks for the linky hoss I’d never heard of him I don’t think.
Gotta check it out!
Hey, Larue, congrats on the front page late night gig!
Gor
anybody remember “tom Swifties?” Mid-sixties game, sorta, make up a phrase that sounded like thewriting in the stories, with an adverb ending in -ly…dang, I’mway toosleepy to make one up as an example. Anybody else among us old people?
I drove to Austin and back today…too muchfor an ancienne like moi, Iguess…tired, heading off to bed…but hadto give props to larue.
Gorgeous day, btw, but oddly, hot (91) in Austin, not in San Antonio (around 80). Blue sky, light clouds, low humidity. Grass looked kinda parched, but otherwise, just a purely lovely day.
Nite!
Congrats, dood…! Give the NS Missus a hug for me, too…! *g*
Bless ya Tejan, get some sleep and thanks for all you do.
Pleasant dreams, tj and Dr. D…!
Congrats Larue..
Ever notice the similarity of Avatar to Deathworld?
And Stainless Steel Rat shoulda been a SyFy Miniseries ages ago..
Thanks Magilla . . . don’t know the references you make . . .
But I WOULD like to see Avatar . . . we haven’t yet.
Are they gamers that gamers do?
I’m not a gamer . . .
Just an old sci fi memory . . .
Heh, I left out the book about Spindizzy’s!
Anyone recall the SpinDizzy’s?
Damn, had completely forgotten about Spirit; tanks.
Yeah, good Left Coast rock stock back then.
N now good night, all, as I drift into the dreams hoping they will all take me into the stars.
N when they don’t, well, I got a better reality at hand cuz I know FDL, MyFDL, and all of you folks.
Bless ya, one and all . . . n thanks for checking out my small thots n diary.
Namaste.
Yes, let’s ignore those asteroid resources and continue with mountain top mining, open pit mining or mining that uses toxic solvents to extract the minerals as is current practice.
The sooner we switch to obtaining our mineral resources from asteroids the better it will be for our ecology.
/snark Oh, won’t anyone think of the microbes inhabiting those asteroids!
Yes, I liked that dream better, too. The world we’re living in now sounds uncomfortably like the corporate kleptocracies imagined by writers like Kim Stanley Robinson. Sad that it’s the pessimistic viewpoints that so often turn out to be right lately.
Precious metals to Planetary Resources are things like platinum, rhodium, palladium…
Metals that truly are rare on earth and that have great utility. A cheap supply of platinum for instance could make fuel cells affordable and allow for us to switch to a hydrogen economy.
The price of platinum is so high now that car gangs are stealing people’s catalytic converters just to get the very small amount of platinum in them being used to clean vehicle emissions.
These metals are used as catalysts to make many chemical reactions much more efficient and “greener”.
Yes, your gold investments will be worth nothing. The only reason they’re worth something now is because people want to buy and hold on to it, not because there’s a true scarcity of gold due to it being put to useful work.
The metals Planetary Resources are looking at would actually be put to work and would help expand the economy.
Unrealistic? Balderdash
They have Eric Schmidt, Larry Page and Charles Simonyi in as initial investors and James Cameron as an advisor. Those people are all wealthy in their own right and money magnets with a lot of connections to other very wealthy people.
If the US Gov hadn’t been circle jerking around with the ISS and the Space Shuttle it/we could have been reaping the benefits of mining the asteroids using Apollo era technology.
Think about pure titanium available in such quantities that it could be used as a structural material. We wouldn’t have to be worried about our bridges falling down and needing replacing due to corrosion.
Earth First! We can strip mine the moon later.
I can hear Rio Tinto squeal with glee.
Unless Rio Tinto buys in to this venture they may be squealing but it won’t be with glee.
The Chinese probably won’t be squealing with glee either as they have placed some very large monetary bets on obtaining access to mineral rights across the globe.
Larue,
Congrats for being front-paged.
Yesterday, when I read your diary, I read all the comments and of course, the ‘magical’ number was 18. And as of this morning, the “magical” meter has been moved to 76. And sci-fi will do that to you too. Regardless, sci-fi is a wonderful subject area, and the ‘traveling’ to boot, doesn’t cost a penny or a dime for us–the ‘thirsty’ and thrifty folk.
Again, Congrats!
Jaango–Clique Member of the Great Society Cabal :-)
Hahaha. You are funny.
Apollo 2 week round trip.
Total take off weight, 2,000,000 lb.
Total return payload, 500 lb.
Asteroids 3 to 5 year round trip.
And we don’t know where to go yet (which asteroid is a prize).
Titanium is not so easy to use. It is not a malleable as steel.
Deathworld and Stainless Steel Rat are by Harry Harrison.
http://www.harryharrison.com
Both evolved into book series by HH.
Check them out someday.. Good old space yarns involving shady characters with unique abilities..Much like the population of FDL.
“The weapon Shops of Isher”, and “City and the Stars” did it for me. Never looked back – went through a lot of libraries. The best ones I’ve found lately are the Liaden Universe novels by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller.
Smilin as I type, thanks for stoppin by . . .
*G*
Kewl, I’ll have to look them up . . . first time I’ve heard of them or the author!
You lack imagination. I said Apollo era technology.
That doesn’t mean you send a lunar landing module for example nor does it mean you only use a single launch vehicle when you could assemble your asteroid rendezvous mission with multiple launches.
Why go to the effort of bringing back payload when you can set up a whole stream of asteroids on a trajectory near Earth for refinement even if they take years to get there.
Finally, you can extend the mission life by shipping additional food on followup launches and obtaining air, fuel and water locally from ice deposits in the asteroids.