A Space Week

The navy released videos of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and Edward Witten (I admit I hadn’t heard of him) published Searching for a Black Hole in the Outer Solar System. Exciting!

Some people think space is stupid. They say we have this earth and we’re fucking it up, let’s not get distracted. Lets walk before we can run. The list of problems that would benefit from a billion dollars is long and your space fantasies don’t make the list. Don’t try to argue that the trickle down effects of the technology benefit everyone enormously.

I agree with the anger that we have more pressing problems, but not with the idea that solving problems is so zero sum. If we’re aiming to abolish poverty, equal opportunity, and fix the damage we do to the planet, it doesn’t seem crazy to add space missions to the list. Wouldn’t more people working on absurdly difficult problems inspire more people to do the same? Wouldn’t it be better if at least some 13 year olds are idolising work like that?

What we’ve achieved in space is inspiring, but for some reason quiet. The fastest man made object travelled at 252,792 km/h. And we’re about to go faster in learning more about the sun. The parker solar probe launched in 2018 is expected to go 690,000 km/h in its 2025 solar approach.

Breakthrough Initiatives want to target 160 million km/h! Gram scale robotic space craft that can be launched for $8000 travelling at 15% the speed of light is inspiring! We could live in the Three Body Problem, well some parts of it (no spoilers).

SpaceX built a rocket that is capable of falling from space and landing on a tiny platform. That’s worth watching every few months.

I like to imagine we could equal the opportunity around the world and have humanity inspired to go after challenges like these so that our navy planes can catch up with the aliens next time.