[extropy-chat] Space and evolution

Mike Lorrey mlorrey at yahoo.com
Sat Mar 20 15:26:33 UTC 2004


--- "Robert J. Bradbury" <bradbury at aeiveos.com> wrote:
> 
> Random notes on the state of the universe...
> 
> Robots to maintain Hubble?
>   http://www.news-leader.com/today/0319-Robotmight-42679.html
> 
> There is an interesting principle at work here -- in military
> engagements (though everyone knows but they don't talk about
> it) there are situations in which there is a very low probability
> of return.  But people still execute these missions because
> the payoff is worth the cost.  It would seem that we are
> getting into a framework where one cannot have an opportunity
> to sacrifice ones life for what one believes in.

This is primarily because the capital cost used to be very low. A
footsoldier, his rifle and kit, plus 90 days of basic training. Not a
huge investment, so not a huge loss. From the POV of a government,
expending one rifleman is a petty cash expenditure.

With space exploration, there is several orders magnitude difference in
capital invested beyond just the life of the individual astronaut. THe
$50 million spent on their training is just one small item on the
balance sheet, as well.

As we saw with the last Columbia mission, each and every mission
imposes high risks of total mission failure, not just the loss of one
astronaut, but a loss of the shuttle and entire crew. That's a good $2
billion loss, no longer chump change. Bean counters therefore enter the
equation to make sure that any loss is properly documented and approved
ahead of time, and know who to point fingers at if it doesn't.


=====
Mike Lorrey
Chairman, Free Town Land Development
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."
                                       - Gen. John Stark
Sado-Mikeyism: http://mikeysoft.zblogger.com

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