Spring Break
The challenges of space will lead to innovation
Scott Conover
Issue date: 7/1/09 Section: Forum
Innovation is often said to be a function of necessity. In war, in business competition and in exploration, innovation frequently emerges as a solution to a specific problem, and only later becomes known as a revolutionary change.
In the near future, the advent of space exploration will be likely lead to a similar situation, in which the rigors and rewards of space will lead to a peculiar set of environmental pressures. These pressures will lead the explorers, settlers and miners of space to innovate in order to survive and thrive in a hostile and dangerous environment.
Space is inherent with many dangers, which may act as pressures for innovation. There are numerous examples of these innovations. However, for explorers, settlers and miners to succeed in the environment of space, they will need to address many concerns. Of primary importance are those concerns related to survival: radiation, air, water, food and civilization.
First, there is the solar wind, a constant stream of charged particles coming from the sun. These particles, in the form of plasma, constantly bombard everything in the solar system. This plasma can lead to serious bodily damage as one moves away from the Earth's protective magnetic field. Even astronauts can face deadly dangers from this radiation.
The level of radiation emitted by the sun is largely regulated by its internal activity, which is often measured by sunspot activity. As this activity increases during the 11-year sunspot cycle, the danger to astronauts and would-be explorers and settlers also increases substantially. Coping for these eventualities would require clever innovation.
Second, there is the concern regarding air. In space, air must be recycled and reused, often through purification and reprocessing. Without some way to purify existing breathable air, and possibly generate new sources of air, any exploration is doomed to fail. An example of purifying air in an unusual way would be to bombard it with electrons.
In the near future, the advent of space exploration will be likely lead to a similar situation, in which the rigors and rewards of space will lead to a peculiar set of environmental pressures. These pressures will lead the explorers, settlers and miners of space to innovate in order to survive and thrive in a hostile and dangerous environment.
Space is inherent with many dangers, which may act as pressures for innovation. There are numerous examples of these innovations. However, for explorers, settlers and miners to succeed in the environment of space, they will need to address many concerns. Of primary importance are those concerns related to survival: radiation, air, water, food and civilization.
First, there is the solar wind, a constant stream of charged particles coming from the sun. These particles, in the form of plasma, constantly bombard everything in the solar system. This plasma can lead to serious bodily damage as one moves away from the Earth's protective magnetic field. Even astronauts can face deadly dangers from this radiation.
The level of radiation emitted by the sun is largely regulated by its internal activity, which is often measured by sunspot activity. As this activity increases during the 11-year sunspot cycle, the danger to astronauts and would-be explorers and settlers also increases substantially. Coping for these eventualities would require clever innovation.
Second, there is the concern regarding air. In space, air must be recycled and reused, often through purification and reprocessing. Without some way to purify existing breathable air, and possibly generate new sources of air, any exploration is doomed to fail. An example of purifying air in an unusual way would be to bombard it with electrons.
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