[extropy-chat] FWD [forteana] Re: Are dwarfs better for longduration spaceflight?]

[The Avantguardian]

--- spike <spike66 at comcast.net> wrote:


> Ja I should have defined this mission more
> carefully.  There 
> is no lugging stuff around on the surface in this
> scenario.  The
> mission is to insert into Martian synchronous orbit
> for a little over
> two years, during which the astronaut guides robots
> on the
> surface which build things that humans will later
> use: manufacturing
> facilities, a pressure vessel for growing plants and
> living in,
> etc.  After 2.4 years, the craft leaves Mars orbit,
> injects into LEO,
> docks with a reentry vehicle and comes home.

You should have said this first. Mission
specifications mean everything in picking an ideal
crew. If this is the case then an overachieving midget
or a paraplegic person would be ideal. I know of many
amputees capable of walking on their hands. I do not
understand why you think it ought to be woman as upper
body strength especially in a paraplegic might be
important.
 
> We can carry enough delta V to do all this with
> current
> technology.  In 2.4 years, she should be able to get
> some
> cool stuff accomplished.
> 
> In aircraft, I agree.  In Mars missions, size
> matters more
> than anything.

It depends entirely on the mission objectives. For an
actual planet-fall mission, a diverse crew in body
types, sexes, specialties, and skill sets would be
ideal. To have an all midget crew in this circumstance
would be tempting natural selection by lack of
diversity. It would be essentially putting all our
eggs in one basket. They could all remain in a sedated
sleep for the trip there. The mission doctor could be
a midget and stay awake for the trip to take care of
the crew and awaken them upon arrival. During the trip
there, the sleepers would require little more than a
closets worth of space. Anyways, your midget fetish
makes a little more sense now, Spike. ;) I actually
know a midget deliveryman at work. He delivers dry ice
to all the labs on campus and routinely hauls several
hundreds of pounds of dry ice around. He is very
strong for his size. If he has other appropriate
skills and talents, he might be an ideal candidate. 

> 
> ps The news on in the background as I write.  Damn
> that
> flood in New Orleans is bad.  {8-[

I agree. But lots of people are doing great things now
for their fellows. The point of tragedy is that it
must be overcome and it brings out the best in our
species. I do object to them pulling cops away from
search and rescue to keep starving people from looting
abandoned stores in New Orleans. If the store owners
object so much, why don't they come to work and man
the register? I am sure a lot of those people would
happily pay for their food, if they had that option.
I for one would do whatever it took to survive.


The Avantguardian 
is 
Stuart LaForge
alt email: stuart"AT"ucla.edu

"The surest sign of intelligent life in the universe is that they haven't attempted to contact us." 
-Bill Watterson

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