Human Expansion Triway into Space

• There are three principal human space expansion

pathways, each focused on one of three principal
imperatives in which space is key to the ultimate
challenge facing humanity. Survival!
Human Expansion Triway into Space
• 1. Planetary Defense of our home world
from potential impactors (Near Earth
Asteroids)

• 2. Establishing a viable exclave of human

civilization on another world (Mars) to
guarantee human survival should civilization
on Earth be wiped out by an impact or other
natural disaster, or implode through human-
caused environmental degradation.

• 3. Using Space Resources to halt, and

ultimately reverse environmental
degradation on Earth through overuse of
fossil fuels, and to create a more equitable
global economy (The Moon)
Human Expansion Triway into Space
1. The danger of asteroid impacts
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
1. Major Natural Threats beside Asteroids
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
A Sensible Approach
• Before we can design a suite of
astrochunck orbit adjustment
method, we need to
1) identify all the possible
impactors out there, and then
2) tag them with transponders so
that we can keep ultra-accurate
track of them and
3) characterize each as to internal
cohesiveness and structure, then
4) on the basis of which population
group poses the greatest threat,
prioritize development and
testing of methods of deflection
• Given the relative likelihood of
different size impacts over time, the
first things first, one step at a time
plan sketched at right offers the best
cost benefit ratio.
• We have to keep in mind that the
odds of disaster from impact are
less than the odds of a super-
volcano eruption, or of a super-
tsunami event, or of a next ice age,
any of which could devastate Earth
on a continental scale. Asteroids are
not the only natural threat we face.
But they are the threat that we can
do the most about.
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
I. Changing Orbits of Threatening Astrochunks
• We are learning that asteroids
come not only in many sizes and
with serveral kinds of mineralogy,
but that they have several kinds of
complex rotations and several
degrees of internal cohesiveness.
• Punch a bean bag, and it doesn’t
fly away from you, it just
rearranges itself around the impact
point
• Giving an asteroid with a complex
wobble a push in the desired
direction can be very tricky.
• No one strategy fits every case
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
1. Other benefitfs of Asteroid identification & tracking
• Near Earth Asteroids & Comets are not only possible threats, they
are reserves of raw materials that may be essential to our growing
material needs:

√ iron, nickel, and other “engineering metals

√ precious metals: gold, silver, platinum - Platinum is now involved

in over 25% of all modern industrial processes. It is most needed for
the fuel cells that could usher in the “Hydrogen Economy

√ volatiles: water-ice, hydrocarbons, carbon and nitrogen ices - these

may be vital imports for a lunar economy. Water-ice rich comets,
comet hulks, and carbonaceous chondrite asteroids may be of use in
the terraforming (or rejuvenation) of Mars
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
2. Establishing a Viable Human Colony on Mars
• Mars is in many ways the most
“Earth-like” planet in our solar system.
1) total land surface of Mars is equal to
total land surface of Earth
2) Mars day is just a bit longer than
ours. Mars has four seasons.
3) Mars has a thin atmosphere and
apparently a lot of water locked up in
underground aquifers
4) A Mars colony could someday
survive cutoff of support from Earth
5) We may be able to restore the
warmer, wetter climate of early Mars
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
2. Establishing a Viable Human Colony on Mars

• Stephen Hawking warned,

"the survival of the human race is at risk as long as

it is confined to a single planet. Sooner or later,
disasters such as an asteroid collision or nuclear
war could wipe us all out."
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
Synergies between Highways 1 & 2
• Mars could provide a valuable vantage point for identifying and
tracking Earth approaching astrochunks that also approach Mars

• Some of these asteroids are sure to contain resources that will be of

value on Mars and contribute to faster and more diversified
industrialization

• Early civilization on Mars could also be threatened by asteroid

impacts

• Some of the techniques developed to redirct Earth-approaching

asteroids might also be used to direct comets into collision course
with Mars if this would prove useful in adding to Mars water reserves
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
Consequences of Greenhouse Gas Overproduction (A)
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
Consequences of Greenhouse Gas Overproduction (B)
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
Consequences of Greenhouse Gas Overproduction (C)
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
√ Solar Power Satellites made from Lunar Materials
• Solar Power Satellites receive more
intense sunlight 24/7 and can beam the
power to rectennas on Earth by
microwaves or lasers
• A lot of material will be needed to build
them, and it will cost 1/20th of the fuel
to source the needed materials from
the Moon as from Earth because of
the Moon’s lighter gravity
• A solar satellite can be built of 92%
lunar materials at only an 8% weight
penalty
• Solar Power Satellites are an ideal
solution for coal-burning China and
India and other 3rd World Nations
Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
√ Solar Power Arrays on the Moon itself
• Extensive farms of solar panels along
the east and west limbs of the Moon
would beam power direct to Earth or via
orbiting relays

• When one limb is in darkness, the

other will be in sunlight, guaranteeing
around the month coverage

• Solar arrays would be far cheaper to

build on the Moon itself, but the
challenge for beaming power over a
distance 10 times as great may be a
problem.
Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
√ Lunar Helium-3 is the ideal Fusion Fuel
Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
√ Lunar Helium-3 is the ideal Fusion Fuel
Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
√ Lunar Helium-3 is the ideal Fusion Fuel
Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
√ Lunar Helium-3 is the ideal Fusion Fuel
• Had we the fusion plants to burn it,
one Shuttle External Tank full of
liquid Helium-3 would be enough
to power the United States for a
year.
• There is enough helium -3 in the
upper 2 yards/meters of the
moondust to bring the whole
world up to our standard of
living and keep it there for a
thousand years
• And then? There’s a lot, lot more
in the atmosphere of Uranus
• It’s a great recipe, but first we have
to catch that rabbit - fusion!
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
The Moon has the resources to support an industrial economy
Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
Living Comfortably on the Moon
• We will cover ourselves with a 5
yard/meter thick blanket of moon
dust that will provide protection
from the cosmic elements and
thermal equilibrium
• Heliostats will funnel sunshine
inside; periscopic picture windows
will connect us to the outdoors
• Graywater system toilets will fill
the home with greenery, flowers,
and sweet fresh air
• Each home will enter on a
pressurized street for shirtsleeve
travel anywhere in town
Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
Synergies with Planetary Defense from Asteroids
• Remote control telescopes on the Moon
will identify more and smaller astrochunks
and do a better job of tracking them.
• Lunar industries will be a market for
materials mined from asteroids in the
process of being shepherded into safer orbits
• A Catch-22 of Orbital Mechanics is that
the closer two bodies are in orbital period,
the less frequent the launch windows
between them. F the main asteroid belt
between Mars and Jupiter, the Moon will be
the preferred staging point and outfitting
point for asteroid belt bound missions.
• The Moon itself holds the shattered relics
of hundreds of thousands of asteroid impacts
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
3. Using the Moon to Save Earth from Ourselves:
Synergies between Highways to Moon and Mars
• The Moon Society can support this long
range goal by prioritizing development
of technologies useful on both worlds:
√ modular architectures including modular
life support biosphere systems;
√ life support technologies
√ space suit development
√ mining, processing, and construction
technologies
√ modular factory systems
√small pocket hospitals
√ agricultural and food production systems.
• Identify trade products between Mars and
the Moon to support each other’s economy
• The start of a potentially very long list.
 Moon <> Mars Trade will increase
the economic viability of both frontiers
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
Postscript: Lifeboat/Ark/Archives Survival Projects
• Establishing a survivable Human
Settlement on Mars, if it includes a
Bio-bank of Earth’s diverse plant
and animal species with representa-
tive breeding stock, and an exhaus-
tive archive of human culture and
technology is helpful. But there
risks being a settlement bias to pick
and choose.
• An all inclusive Grand Archives of
all Humanity and of Earth in a lava
tube on The Moon that has already
remained intact for 3.5 billion
years or more is the best bet.
Human Expansion Triway into Space
Which groups are supporting what?
1. Planetary Defense from killer asteroids
- B612 Foundation
- Space Frontier Foundation
- National Space Society
- Moon Society
- Space Studies Institute
- The Planetary Society
2. Opening the Mars Frontier
- The Mars Society
- Space Frontier Foundation
- National Space Society
- Moon Society
3. Resources on the Moon to Save Earth’s Environment
- The Moon Society
- Space Frontier Foundation
- National Space Society
 Human Expansion Triway into Space

• There is no reason why each group should not

choose its own focus, while recognizing the
validity of the others and playing support roles.
• If we do that, people, the media, & Congress will
get the message: “We do have our act together!”
 Human Expansion Triway into Space
• If you support the Triway into Space, please join one of the following
• National Space Society - www.NSS.org
• The Mars Society - www.MarsSociety.org
• The Moon Society - www.MoonSociety.org
• Space Frontier Society - www.space-frontier.org
• The Planetary Society- www.planetary.org
To the Survival of Humankind!
 The Moon Society
www.MoonSociety.org - Who we are & What we do
• We are a non-profit membership
organization
• We do not design, build, purchase
hardware or conduct missions
• We work to remove obstacles and
lay foundations
• We strive to inspire and encourage
those working in academia and in
private industry
• We support the VSE in this time of
war-induced budget cutbacks by
looking for creative ways to tackle
the programs that NASA is forced
to cut
• How do we do these things?
√  “Spin-up” not “spin-off” We
promote the predevelopment of the
technologies needed to expand an initial
moon base into a true resource-suing
industrial settlement, by encour-agting
entrepreneurs to do the R&D for any
profitable terrestrial applications
√ www.lunarpedia.org - We have
begun an open source Moon-focus wiki
√ Moon Miners’ Manifesto - Our 20-
year old newsletter
√ Lunar Analog Research Station -
we held a practice exercise at MDRS and
are busy planning our own facility