[SpaceProgram] Fwd: Project Management, Starships, and the Failure of Modern Physics - YouTube

Tue Sep 25 18:32:01 CEST 2012

Hello Paul,

I thought when I was sending the email that what I was saying was
pretty obvious. Of course I did not read through the archives to learn
what has already been discussed.

You wrote "In terms of what a longer-term plan for space exploration
might look like, it seems to me that a lot of the obvious technology
needs and required advances - or at least the known problems and
challenges to be overcome - are fairly easily identified and already
widely discussed." I agree however I think it is worth spaceGAMBIT
referencing a document defining those problems and challenges. That
would help clarify a granting or challenge process. I don't know of
such a document. If there is not one, it would be worth spending
spaceGAMBIT money to creat it.

Thanks
-- Matt Johnson

On Mon, Sep 24, 2012 at 2:54 PM, Paul Szymkowiak <paulszym at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Matt,
>
> Great points you've raised.
>
> To clarify any wrong impression, the points you've raised have been part of
> an active, ongoing discussion within the caretaker team. I think it's great
> to see those same challenges discussed in a wider group.
>
> Having lead some projects at hackerspaces, and participated in others, I
> don't think the idea of top-down, big-plans-upfront will fly. I agree that
> many large-project management techniques aren't really going to work in this
> context.
>
> I think there are a number of ways to run this program, but - at least in my
> view - this will succeed if the ongoing plan for the actual research is
> driven predominantly bottom up.
>
> One idea of how that might look is that hackerspaces joining the program,
> nominating a representative or two to present their interests, and have
> those groups of representatives define the plan. There are challenges with
> this approach, especially around managing change over time, but as I see it,
> it's probably a reasonable middle ground. Trying to have lots of independent
> researchers - rather than teams - coordinate a plan may be ineffective.
>
> In terms of what a longer-term plan for space exploration might look like,
> it seems to me that a lot of the obvious technology needs and required
> advances - or at least the known problems and challenges to be overcome -
> are fairly easily identified and already widely discussed. In fact, many
> hackerspace groups are already pursuing some of those challenges. So,
> although I'm advocating an inclusive plan, driven by the interests of
> individual hackerspace teams, I suspect that the plan will end up with many
> elements we'd have included by taking a more top-down, project-management
> lead plan.
>
> As I see it, one of the things the SpaceGAMBIT organisation can do is assist
> in enabling that process, rather than driving it. In my view, that is a mix
> of linking projects and people across the network, providing funds, curating
> project results and content as a commons resource, and enabling skill and
> knowledge sharing.
> Thanks & Best Regards,
>
>
> Paul
>
> Paul Szymkowiak
>
> On 23 September 2012 11:49, Matt Johnson <railmeat at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Jerry, I met you at 100YSS, that is how I heard about your space
>> GAMBIT and this email list. As I understood it the talk was about how
>> to focus physics research at a large scale, such as federally funded
>> research projects and large university. I see hacker spaces involved
>> in a large number of small loosely coordinated, or uncoordinated
>> projects. Is that wrong? Since these project will be smaller, they
>> would use more mundane project management techniques.
>>
>> I had hoped that 100YSS would present some kind of road map or broad
>> plan that the various groups working on interstellar space could
>> follow. I still hope they present something. It would probably be
>> worthwhile asking someone at 100YSS if they plan to produce a road
>> map.
>>
>> I am not sure how best to proceed with this sort of problem. You must
>> have given it some thought before you made the DARPA grant proposals.
>> What did you come up with? If I were thrown into this problem with no
>> preparation I would start with some kind of literature search to get a
>> picture of the current situation and try to interview experienced
>> researchers in the field to find out what they think the next steps
>> should be. Then some kind of RFP process to see what people are
>> interested in doing.
>>
>> I am not sure how something like RFPs would work in a hacker context,
>> do you know of examples of this being done? Perhaps an "X prize" style
>> approach is more appropriate. In either case they would benefit from
>> some kind of evangelism and marketing.
>>
>> --
>> Matt Johnson
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Sep 22, 2012 at 3:18 PM, Jerry Isdale <jerry at mauimakers.com>
>> wrote:
>> > This was given in the context of the 100YSS organization.
>> > There are probably a half dozen different non-profit organizations and
>> > groups now pursuing space technology.
>> > To some extent each of these (including our SpaceGAMBIT) does 'control
>> > project goals and funds' which decides what work will be done, at least
>> > on
>> > their nickel.
>> >
>> > If you have a limited amount of funds and your goal is to give it to
>> > hackers
>> > to further space education and research
>> > how would you decide what work will be done?
>> >
>> > That is a quandary that I face.
>> > Please help us decide.
>> >
>> > Jerry Isdale
>> > isdale at spacegambit.org
>> > USA Program Lead, SpaceGAMBIT
>> > Global Alliance of Makers Building Interstellar Technology
>> > http://SpaceGAMBIT.org
>> >
>> > This email is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the
>> > human(s) named above. If intercepted by an extraterrestrial
>> > civilization,
>> > all opinions expressed in this email are my own and do not necessarily
>> > reflect the opinion of mankind as a whole.
>> >
>> >
>> > On Sep 22, 2012, at 11:51 AM, Matt Johnson wrote:
>> >
>> > Interesting talk, the sliders were pretty funky though. I am sure
>> > there is a lot to be gained by using the best technics in decision
>> > making and project management. That assumes that there is some
>> > organziation or body that controls project goals and funds and that
>> > can decided what work will be done. That does not match with my
>> > understanding of what a hacker space is.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Matt Johnson
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > On Thu, Sep 20, 2012 at 4:32 PM, Jerry Isdale <isdale at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > This was the talk at 100YSS Symposium that kicked me off on Quaternion
>> >
>> > Maxwell Physics.
>> >
>> > The engineer part of me likes the rigor Buck brings to the discussion
>> > ...
>> >
>> > The hacker part of me wants to run screaming naked thru the rainforest
>> > (my
>> >
>> > backyard).
>> >
>> >
>> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t95xWsxqNvI
>> >
>> >
>> > The discussion of Heaviside-Tate flame war and impact on theoretical
>> > (and
>> >
>> > applied) physics starts about 12min in.
>> >
>> > The rest of discussion is pretty interesting too.
>> >
>> >
>> > Jerry Isdale
>> >
>> > isdale at spacegambit.org
>> >
>> > USA Program Lead, SpaceGAMBIT
>> >
>> > Global Alliance of Makers Building Interstellar Technology
>> >
>> > http://SpaceGAMBIT.org
>> >
>> >
>> > This email is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the
>> >
>> > human(s) named above. If intercepted by an extraterrestrial
>> > civilization,
>> >
>> > all opinions expressed in this email are my own and do not necessarily
>> >
>> > reflect the opinion of mankind as a whole.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> >
>> > SpaceProgram mailing list
>> >
>> > SpaceProgram at lists.hackerspaces.org
>> >
>> > http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/spaceprogram
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> >
>> >
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