Board index » Analysis » Into the Abyss — Analyses & Resources All times are UTC + 1 hour [ DST ] Moderator: Ingsoc Register • FAQ • Arcade • Search • Login View unanswered posts | View active to pics It is currently Mon Apr 25, 2011 4:55 pm Dystopia Gap Analysis:Earth's Space Agency Page 1 of1 [ 4 posts ] Print view Previous topic | Next topicDystopia Gap Analysis:Earth's Space Agency Autho r M ess age Neuromancer Dystopia Gap Analysis:Earth's Space Agency The Fictional Earth Space Agency's Construction Yards, the successor to NASA It is a common theme in Science Fiction and Dystopian Imagination the taking for granted for a Human Space-faring Civilsation such as that in Star Wars, Star Trek, Starship Troopers, Alien, Babylon 5 and with the latest concept in Avatar and so on. With variations as to the level idealised setting for the subset of events. Characters in such geo-political configurations interact inside the over-arching environment without a political-economy and history leading to its present personal storylines. This brief comment will seek to address this Science-Fiction to Science-Fact Gap. This thread will seek to address the gap analysis necessary to fill the space where Earth Civilisation makes the Great Leap Forward to become a solar and stellar civilisation. If I could bring up the concept of the Law ofthe Sea [1] (LOS) is an international treaty designed ostensibly for the purpose of regulating the national frontiers in regards to oceans. There is a subs et in the above international agreement [2] that came into force by virtue of a number of countries sign ing the a common agreement to explore and mine deep sea polymetalic nodules [3]; this partic ular intergovernmental treaty as an entity is charged with pooling collective resources by the member nations to fund vessels, mine and market minerals from the nodules in the World Markets. Consider if we could take this Underwater Sea Treaty upside down and turn it to Outer Space? Then, the creation of a NASA-like organization like the International Seabed Organisation at global level to explore space and mine precious and rare minerals. So far, exploring space is a very risky, time-consuming, expensive endeavour which involves the spending of billions in the design, manpower , and training and manufacturing over several years, how can we create a Global NASA or even better “Global Association for Space Exploration”(GASE)? xploring D ystopia - View topic - Dystopia Gap Analysis:Earth's Spa ce ... http://exploringdystopia.freeforums.org/dystopia-gap-analysis-earth-s-spa... 1 of10 4/26/2011 12:58 AM Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer ( http://www.novapdf.com)
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8/7/2019 Exploring Dystopia - View Topic - Dystopia Gap Analysis_Earth's Space Agency
Alien:Nostromo, the first of the future's Mining Fleet
A World Treaty would have to agreed by an at least five countries (mid or large size economies) to enable the pooling of
national resources to effect the exploration of space. However, exploration per se does not bring economic benefits. Given
the prevalence of the Neo-Malthusian concept of resource depletion to date, a number of transnational corporations as a
consortium could strongly argue for the search, exploration and mining of Earth’s Moon and Asteroid Belt.
Political influence would be felt as a political discourse at first. But returning to the Special Earth Fleet Charter. It could be a
highly profitable endevour. This is not the first time this could occur, previously there have been a series chartered
companies incorporated with special rights by national governments to the monopoly use and marketing of commodities
such was the case of the East India Company [4]. With the benefit of Monopoly Profits (which bar the working of
conventional Free Market as we know it) the funding of the Earth’s Space Fleet could become self-funding at a later stage
with ongoing windfall profits from monopoly price-setting by the seller.
In a previous post regarding the World Central Bank [5] could fund and float securities in the world markets to absorb the
default risk of funding such Megaprojects such as the Space Shipyards, the Exploration and Mining Fleets.
One of the unanticipated effects of this GASE, would be the creation of a powerful transnational business consortiumrequiring the use of more resources to absorb the losses, recruit personnel and most important of perpetuate itself as a
politically influential organisation. The existence of Global Government with the ability to summon the resources in
funds and manpower makes it a viable option.
First, it would have to effect change at the level National and International Government with its requirement as to training,
hardware, recruitment and energy acquisition. The costs of Research and Development would have to be increased and
time accelerated and offloaded to society at large (socialised costs).
Another aspect is the Militarism, which could be highly lucrative to transnational business consortia when the future Global
Government has competitive Space War for Resources through Military Keynesianism at Global Level [6] (against a
Confederate UN if you may), this would create an artificial demand for the military industries’ products. The financial and
economic power of the Global Consortium then would have such political leverage that it will require a statist [7] solution to
rationalise the management of society along either corporate state or scientific/technocratic [8] lines.
Aliens: Sulaco, Space Marines for patriotism and corporate profit
What it is not known and remains bound to speculation is whether the future international consortium will use its financial
might to subvert (global coup d’état unless the world govt is of their own making in the first place) the global government
and turn it into a strong statist state of either Fascist, Corporativist or Socialist kinds in order to ensure the achievement of
its financial prerogatives. To ensure the profitability of the Global Space Program, the cartelisation and guarantee special
monopoly rights have to be achieved.
Barring the annihilation of the Capitalist Cartels as it has the actual economic resources to fight off ‘socialistic’ government
policies in the future Free World Trade [9] Scenario (due to disarmament, states have no final resort, without borders),
then, we are left with an outright Corporate State thinly disguised by a floor welfare state put under pressure. However the
effects on the rest of the world’s remaining competitive and free enterprise will suffer the effects of investment capital
shortages (seen in high inflation, high interest rates due to the activities of co-sponsors in the World Central Bank) as the
Global Space Program begins to drain resources and manpower from the rest of the world economy.
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we now mine from the Earth's crust, and that are essential for our economic and technological development,
came originally from the rain of asteroids and comets that hit the Earth after the crust cooled.
In 2004, the world production of iron ore exceeded a billion metric tons. In comparison, a comparatively small
M-type asteroid with a mean diameter of 1 km could contain more than two billion metric tons of iron-nickel
ore, or two to three times the annual production for 2004. The asteroid 16 Psyche is believed to contain
1.7×1019 kg of nickel-iron, which could supply the 2004 world production requirement for several million
years. A small portion of the extracted material would also contain precious metals.
Overpopulation. This is obviously already a pressing issue and a second home for mankind would solve manyproblems. Earth-like, albeit not ideal planets have already been discovered and could be colonised in the future. The
vast distances will require the invention of FTL engines or the creation of generation ships, though. Orbital habitats
may possibly also be an option, although subterranean or submarine habitats probably are more feasible.
Unity. There are, in my opinion, very few things that can make all nations and ethnicities unite and stop fighting each
other. Obvious examples are the occurrence of a global cataclysm or the discovery of extraterrestrial life, but maybe
a grand endeavour like conquering space could serve the same purpose? If mankind can't unite eventually, it will risk
annihilating itself; the knowledge of doomsday weapons can't be erased from people's minds.
Stagnation. Throughout history, mankind has explored and expanded, which no doubt has encouraged progress and
innovation; the only period without it in Western history is called the Dark Ages. Mankind probably needs a frontier to
strive towards in order to evolve, and with the notable exception of the ocean depths, space is the only remaining
frontier.
Conquering space will probably require some kind of world government which at least allocates resources. This is one of
the reasons I think the creation of a world government is inevatible. I didn't want to bring it up as discussion tends to go off
on a tangent as soon as space is mentioned.
However, conquering space does not necessarily require world government. 1) Scientific break-throughs may make things
considerably easier. If for instance the enigma of gravitation is solved, e.g. if the graviton can be confirmed to exist,
there's no end to the possibilities. Notice that an undeveloped country, India, probably will be the next nation to launch a
manned space flight. 2) We spend enormous amounts of time, money, and resources on armament. If global or
near-global peace could be reached, all this could be spent on space colonisation instead. As they say: Had it not been for
the Vietnam war, there would have been an American moonbase today.
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"Life is a succession of here and now, here and now, unceasing concentration in the here and now. People who worry about the
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Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:14 pm
Neuromancer
Re: Dystopia Gap Analysis:Earth's Space Agency
Quote:
In fact, during Earth's molten youth more than four billion years ago, the extreme temperature and gravity stripped
all siderophilic (iron loving) metalic elements from the crust to the planet's core.
All the gold, cobalt, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, osmium, palladium, platinum, rhenium, rhodium and
ruthenium that we now mine from the Earth's crust, and that are essential for our economic and technological
development, came originally from the rain of asteroids and comets that hit the Earth after the crust cooled.
A number of these minerals are extractable from the 'Polymetalic Nodules' already from the Deep Ocean mining.
However if there should be enough market scarcity shown in high prices to warrant space mining in the first place then
there is economic justification as the Prime Mover. Cheapest solutions first though.
Quote:
However, conquering space does not necessarily require world government.
Indeed, we are thinking with the current technologies and resources, however we have not accounted that in the Future
with larger pools of capital, new technological discoveries and new breakthroughs in Physics the costs of Space Travel
Logistics could fall dramatically. In which case there could be an oversupply of commodities and resources to raise the
global standard of living. Thriving space exploration could be carried out by nation states. I think of Babylon 5 and the daily
issues of management and Earth Politics. Without wanting to digress off-topic, it looks like the Babylon 5 Universe Earth
arrived 'too early' at Space Civilisation Status with the Fascist-like (authoritarian corporate or militaristic keynesian) Earth
Administration.
Quote:
1) Scientific break-throughs may make things considerably easier.
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If for instance the enigma of gravi tation is solved,
e.g. if the graviton can be confirmed to exist, there's no end to the possibilities.
Notice that an undeveloped country, India, probably will be the next nation to launch a manned space flight.
It would be fantastic for India to reach full Middle Class Status, there is so much to achieve, imagine the scientific
achievement of its citizens.
I believe the Newly Industraliasing Countries (NICs) were copying the Japanese Model for Industrialisation, this means that
ever faster a groundbreaking breakthrough, could come sooner.
Quote:
Overpopulation.
This is obviously already a pressing issue and a second home for mankind would solve many problems.
I hate to be a pain in the ass on the matter of Overpopulation, if I digress here; however it is a very dicy issue, if
mishandled it can send the Population into reverse below the replacement level which means slow death of a country
through ageing, there are a number of countries already in reverse population trends.
On the other hand, Overpopulation needs questions to be asked:
Who wants it?
What is the criteria for Overpopulation?
What are the issues of wealth distribution?
What is the status of Food/Agricultural Production?
Why it wants it?
What are the real reasons behind the concerns for overpopulation, besides the Neo-malthusian Discourse? Can poor people
be such a drain on resources when they can't consume them any way (low national income)?
Can Overpopulation continue with Industrialisation of the Agricultural Sector or move into First World Status instead by
NIC-style development?
Why is Overpopulation such a concern on the Third World Population of non-white races?
That's it, no more digression, this will be explored in a new thread.
Big Question for China and India, will they go into space to grow their populations and colonise it or will they keep their
population pressures for doubling on Earth on their neighbours? China and India face doubling of populations, so there is a
legitimate pressure for the nation-state to promote a rafter of policies.
The issue both countries industrialising will need markets and raw materials; both countries could go 'colonial'.
An ancillary question is whether the political and social system is equipped to deal Space Exploration Technologies and not
indulge in the Learning Curve of the West with New Technologies, no one wants a Soviet Union or a Nazi Germany with
Weapons of Mass Destruction in Space or bring the conflict to Earth. Science is great with India and China, however China
lacks a Democracy and its State is enmeshed with the PLA and the Corporate Sector for Capitalistic Profits.
Quote:
Conquering space will probably require some kind of world government which at least allocates resources. This isone of the reasons I think the creation of a world government is inevatible. I didn't want to bring it up as discussion
tends to go off on a tangent as soon as space is mentioned.
Not quite, the World Government has to much political and ideological footprint on national sovereignty, there is another
possible deal reached either by Japan, USA or the EU in partnership with either India and China.
Manpower, plus the Capital and the Technological knowhow to construct the Megaproject in the Space Race to the Stars.
Both China and India are r ivals for resources, markets and that classic Lebensraum.
Quote:
2) We spend enormous amounts of time, money, and resources on armament.
If global or near-global peace could be reached, all this could be spent on space colonisation instead.
Indeed we are saddled with the present Military-Industrial Complex and its Financial System that feeds on the ProductiveWorld Economy and its Opaque Veil of Ideology that muddles clarity among the masses.
So much wasted capital, raw materials, human labor and enterprise, this is a real Dead Hand. The question is, if it will
compromise Economic Development at Large by being able to subdue national and global economics and politics. The only
recourse left is the hard option: The Dead Hand must be cut off, but will it kill the patient?
Mon Feb 15, 2010 5:10 pm
NexusInner Party Leader
Re: Dystopia Gap Analysis:Earth's Space Agency
Neuromancer wrote:
Quote:
In fact, during Earth's molten youth more than four billion years ago, the extreme temperature and gravity
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