Human Spaceflight from Mars to the Stars
In my book, HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT FROM MARS TO THE STARS I conclude, “the future for humans in space is to become a multi-planet species with no existential threat (though, possibly, with still many catastrophic ones) living physically on two planets (Earth and Mars) and exploring the universe mentally on many others, learning about life within ourselves and in the universe. That is that the human physical presence will not go beyond Mars, but that our evolving technologies will extend the human presence to the end of and even beyond our solar system, interacting with the Universe without us physically “being there.”
Both of these illustrations are artist concepts: the first of an astronaut exporing an asteroid is from NASA; the second depicts a terraformed Mars is by Michael Carroll. These are in the book along with many others of solar sails and robotic spacecraft illustrating the future of spaceflight from Mars to the stars.
This page is devoted to discussion of the book’s thesis about the future of human spaceflight.
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NOTE YOU are invited to comment on the book or any of the content here — See Below.
There is a continous debate about whether Mars settlement makes sense as a goal for humankind and for human spaceflight. I assert it is the only sensible reason for human spaceflight, and that it is an antidote to a confining and hidebound future — psychologically and socially as much as physically.
Here are two views: one by Dale Skrain and one by Danielle and Astro Teller (the latter is the head of GoogleX)
Other Items Related to the Book
A story (future speculation) published in the Communications of the Association of Computing Machinery, Becoming a Multi-Planet Species – ACM
KPCC “Air Talk” Radio Interview, 14 Dec 2015
Video Interview by Scientific American
Radio Interview on Planetary Radio
Book review by Jeff Foust in The Space Review
Review from Houston Examiner – by Mark Whitington – rather negative
Review by Michael Michaud in Centauri Dreams– rather comprehensive
Interview in DiscoverMagazine.com conducted by Dr. David Warmsflash (Excerpted from a longer interview — Warmflash Interview)
Events and Talks
Sept 2, 2015 – Pasadena CA: AIAA Space 2015 Conference, Panel on Pioneering Space and Settlement of the
Solar System
Oct 15, 2015 – Seminar: Satellite Engineering Course, Aero/Astro Dept. MIT; Cambridge, MA
Oct 19,2015 – Hayden Planetarium, New York NY, Frontiers Lecture
Oct 24, 2015 – The Planetary Society Open House, Pasadena, CA
Oct 31-Nov 1, 2015 – 100 Year Starship Symposium, Santa Clara CA
Nov 12, 2015 – Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena CA: Book release and public talk
Mar 12-13, 2016 – Tucson Book Fair, University of Arizona
July 26, 2017 – Keynote Talk: NASA/ESA Conference on Adaptive Hardware and Systems, Caltech
Feb. 8, 2018 – AIAA Los Angeles/Las Vegas Section at Northrop Grumman Corp.