[SpaceProgram] Introduction & Leightweight probes

[cole santos]

Our mission as stated excludes science for science sake missions. If
it does not directly relate to humans getting to space or living in it
or assuring access does it qualify? Although this project sounds
awesome, I think that we should be focusing on commercial style
exploration and do the science stuff when we have a way to get there
and live there. We need to agree on what our focus is and stick to it.
How does observing life help us get to space? If a particular project
can answer that then it should be supported. I love biodomes and have
made a few small ones myself, but they are useless for exploration
unless they support humans. The whole send it to space and do science
thing is exactly why NASA fails. Failure to separate science and
exploration. We are bootstrapping to space not kickstarting feel good
science.That doesnt mean we dont do biology. It means we dont send
stuff up frivolously.  A habitat to support a mammal and eventually; A
soil less agriculture module to grow plants; A synthetic bio algae
that grows in pure co2 and provides 100% nutritional requirement;
these projects are tangible ideas that could become a space
enterprise. How to you build a business model around algae in a clear
pvc pipe... My point here is any project should have the potential to
become a revenue generating component of the space economy or we
should leave it to those with deeper pockets. We cant just randomly
distribute to projects that sound cool. They must meet the requirement
of assuring the future access of space.Are we going to support white
collar welfare projects?


I dont really have this harsh of an opinion, everything i said above
is a kind of devils advocate process we need to have with ourselves.
Hackerspaces are business incubators, they make the extremely
difficult easier. Its a place to take a hobby to the next level and
they are our best shot at fixing the global economy. The successful
implementation of this program could become the most important event
in this coming decade for space exploration. Elon et al proved that
space exploration is not just for governments. We are here to prove
that anyone, anywhere, can get to space if we work together. But we
must remember our goal is to get to space. Our children can decide to
do once we get them there.

@paul  " I'd like to avoid funding any - unless it's really
justifiable - projects that intend to deliver conceptual designs
alone."

absolutly agree that kind of work needs to be done before we can fund.
we aren't a scientist handout org, we are bootstrapping to space,
volunteering isent an option its a requirement. We should never
support an idea, we should only support plans developed to implement
an idea. The point is people should be putting in an enormous amount
of time developing an idea before they approach us. Business plans, or
some kind of implementation/justification needs to be written up. We
are like an SBIR grantor or venture capitalist, not NOAA, NSF, USDA
pork machine. NO offence to anyone who works for those organisations.

Disclaimer, I review and apply for grants at work.

On Sat, Apr 14, 2012 at 4:00 PM, Paul Szymkowiak
<paulszym+cchs at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Máté,
>
> Great input again. Thanks :)
>
> One comment, below
>
> On 15 April 2012 08:23, Máté Ravasz <ravaszmeister at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi there,
>>
>> I took the liberty to reply to all the ideas you raised. Here is what I
>> think:
>>
>> [...]
>>
>> All in all maybe we could start by designing a palm sized closed box which
>> encapsulates some organism that can stay alive for a very long time (say 100
>> years). Then as the second step, we could maybe even build it. Afterwards,
>> we could use this as a basis for a space grade life box.
>
>
> I'd personally be more in favour of funding projects that involve practical
> exploration through prototypes.
>
> I'd like to avoid funding any - unless it's really justifiable - projects
> that intend to deliver conceptual designs alone, without even a
> proven prototype implementation. So, in your example above, my inclination
> would be to fund projects which aim to actually create prototype bio
> capsules/ containers.
>
> If that isn't possible, within a relatively small funding allocation or
> short time frame, then a series of projects that break up prototyping the
> component parts for such a system. Then as a follow on step, either build
> the other required component parts, or a space-grade capsule.
>
>
> Paul
>
> Paul Szymkowiak
>
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