Letter to NASA : Human Continuity

Response to NASA’s Spaceflight Committee request for Comments 07-20-2009


Human Continuity
By: Paul Michael Owens
http://paulmichaelowens.blogspot.com
July 23, 2009



It is impressive that NASA gives the opportunity to receive public comments on this very precious issue of Human Continuity. Human Continuity is hard to understand from a complex point of view. But from a simple point of view Human Continuity is plain as the planet we live on. The Homo Sapiens control the Earth. The Homo Sapiens can be defined by a set of traits that with minor variance quantitatively represent over 6 Billion living beings on Earth. Homo Sapiens come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. Homo Sapiens are Humans. Humans should not be bound by a planetary body. Humanity can be a positive Galactic and Universal force. Humans by nature fight to survive and will defend humanity at all costs. Humans should be prepared for any adversary big or small. Space is the only protection from a global catastrophic event. The ability to colonize another planetary body has to be the ultimate objective in any adventure into Space and any attempt to maintain humankind regardless of what planetary or space body they may reside. A continuous Space presence will gather further understanding of Space. Without researching, how can any understanding of Space be undertaken? We have to understand Space to be able to adapt to those conditions. Being able to travel through Space for a reasonable timeframe would require great speed. The Speed of Light is 186,000 miles per second. It takes over 4 years at the speed of light to get to Alpha Centauri or Proxima Centauri. There has to be a way to harness Space to allow us to flow through it quicker. Perhaps unlocking the secret of the light particle to understand how it moves so fast and replicate the particles surrounding energy of a light particle, perhaps the speed of light can be achieved and maybe go even faster! Thank you for the opportunity to answer the following questions:


1) What are the appropriate destinations and sequences of exploration for human exploration beyond LEO?

Low Earth Orbit can be defined by a specific distance directly north from the ground. Distance to other planetary bodies can also be defined. These definitions allow for many places to be included for appropriate destinations. We should attempt to achieve the following as destination points as well as milestone markers: (In this order of importance) Mars, Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Titan, Pluto, Alpha Centauri, Crab Nebula, NGC 4414.

Achieving these milestones will bring Humans into a different class of Life. Once we can leave the Milky Way Galaxy and return within a lifetime we can call ourselves an Intergalactic Species.



2) What should be the mode of surface exploration (if any)?

Space Surface Exploration should be done with robotic vehicles and devices first. The study of macro solutions could expand the size capabilities of projects to result in faster research.


3) What is the strategy within the human space flight program for coordinating
Human and robotic exploration?

Robots should always go first. Caution should always be used in new situations. We should always be able to extract human exploration missions. Missions should include objectives that have maintained strategic safety scenarios. With the implantation of robots and robotic devices prior to human exploration it would ease adjustment with ready tools to complete mission objectives.


4) What are the assumed launch vehicle(s) to LEO (in terms of mass to orbit and shroud diameter?

Vehicles must be able to break orbit. Eventual Advanced Vehicles should be able to reach the speed of light. The F-22 is the ultimate fighter. The Air Force should be focusing on the next Space fighter or StarFighter. A StarFighter should be able to regularly reach 10,000 km with complete mobility and have the maneuverability of a F-35. No one wants to ride a bomb to get to space. If the LEO launch vehicle were made to be as easy to get on as the airplane a true space revolution could occur. If we could secure better space occupancy projects and combine that with an ease of travel into space there would be many jobs for people who did not have any other opportunity to work on even better Space Projects.


5) What are the options for in-space fuel/oxidizer storage and transfer?

Once a Space Station is established to be a working viable structure, there needs to be a development of a larger structure that can make bigger space-based structures that can be utilized for larger space projects. Tritium occurs naturally in space. Could Tritium be a new fuel source? Could there be other products naturally occurring in space that could be utilized for motion in space? These are questions that should be researched.


6) What is the role that space technology research and development will play?

R and D play an important role in increased acclimation of knowledge of space. Communication improvements in distance, clarity, and strength will allow for better rates for reliable information transfer. Are current computing abilities adequate enough to support thorough space research? Question drive technology. When we stop asking questions opportunities are lost to learn more about any environment. There still needs to be major advances in self contained living structures which are needed to maintain life in a controlled environment. Is it possible to create an even better spacesuit?


7) What is our strategy for engaging international partners in the development of the program?

Human Continuity is of the whole Human Race and goes beyond national borders. It is the general consensus of man to be able to understand what is beyond this planet and to answer the unasked questions. There are many explorers still around the Earth. Some continue to explore our Globe, but we should not allow a planetary body to restrict our use of Space. We should not allow national divisions deter engaging intelligence found in other countries. While we cannot be at war with any partner, we should strive to work with intelligence regardless of the nationality.

8) What is our strategy for engaging commercial entities?

Small business partnerships allow for area specific contractual agreements. NASA should be a self-sufficient organization, with major parts of NASA operations solely reliable to NASA itself. NASA also should understand that Space is now a commercial market and not just a government only playground. Commercial relationships will have to be undertaken. Examples are Russia’s selling of space travel, and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic.