[ExI] An Elegy for the Age of Space

[BillK]

On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 4:25 AM, The Avantguardian wrote:
> It might be looking for new sources of cheap energy that force us out there in the first place.
> Case in point is the Saturnian moon Titan. Titan has *seas* of liquid hydrocarbon. Enough to
> turn Earth into Venus if we brought them here and burned them. So let's find a better energy source no?
>
>


That is one option to hope for.  Is it hope or wishful thinking?

Our world is on the cusp of change. The largest ever population,
burning through the last remnants of oil, coal and gas at the fastest
ever rate. We have to change to using different energy sources. That
will be a huge upheaval that may not leave enough resources for space
exploration. Daily survival may become a more immediate problem.

If no replacement for oil is found, we will have a very different
civilization. And space might well not be part of that, if we are
relying on solar and wind power and some nuclear power plants.


BillK