[ExI] Maybe space exploration will be a task for AI humanoids

[efc at swisscows.email]

On Sun, 23 Jun 2024, Adrian Tymes via extropy-chat wrote:

> "But what if-"
> No.
> 
> The dangers are known, and addressable on the scale of a full colony in space; they have not nearly been economical to address on the
> scale of the very limited space stations that provide the only data about living in space so far.  The dangers mainly come from:
> 1) Living in zero-g for extended periods, which we know how to avoid, but no actual space station has yet been built for long-term
> spin gravity,
> 2) Substantially increased exposure to ionizing radiation, which we know how to avoid, but no actual space station has yet been built
> with the requisite level of radiation protection, and
> 3) Generally being cut off from supply/society and having to make do only with the very limited infrastructure on hand, which we know
> how to avoid, but no actual space station has yet been built with a hospital (or even a clinic), a full machine shop, and so on.

What are the economics of having a space station with 1, 2, 3 and relying 
on mining ice for oxygen? Flying it in from earth is cheating, so I'd be 
curious if it would be feasible to have something permanent in space 
relying on ice being flown in, or if that is way beyond anything possible 
with today technology.


> On Sun, Jun 23, 2024 at 8:52 AM BillK via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>       What If We’re Stuck Down Here?
>       By Barry Petchesky   June 18, 2024
>
>       <https://defector.com/what-if-were-stuck-down-here?>
>       Quotes:
>       But what if certain challenges are not hurdles but roadblocks, and not
>       technological but biological? If the problem is not what we can build,
>       but what we are?
>
>       We've long known of the deleterious effects spaceflight can have on
>       the human body: bone loss, anemia, weakened immune systems, higher
>       cancer risks, the list goes on.
>       Add to those effects a potentially calamitous one.
>       The study, ominously titled "Cosmic Kidney Disease" and published last
>       week in Nature Communications, examines the kidney function of 66
>       astronauts who spent up to 180 days on the International Space
>       Station, which is relatively safe compared to say, a return mission to
>       Mars, which would last a couple years and expose astronauts to the
>       more intense radiation of deep space.
>       ----------------------
>
>       The conclusion is that if humans are stuck on Earth, then we had
>       better make sure we don't ruin it.
>
>       BillK
>
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> 
> 
>