0
freefalldolphin

Space miners hope to build first off-Earth economy

By freefalldolphin, in Speakers Corner

Recommended Posts

freefalldolphin    0

freefalldolphin
Quote

FOLLOW the money and you will end up in space. That's the message from a first-of-its-kind forum on mining beyond Earth.

Convened last week in Sydney by the Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research, the event brought together mining companies, robotics experts, lunar scientists and government agencies that are all working to make space mining a reality.

The forum comes hot on the heels of the unveiling last year of two private asteroid-mining firms. Planetary Resources of Washington says it will launch its first prospecting telescopes in two years, while Deep Space Industries of Virginia hopes to be harvesting metals from asteroids by 2020. Another commercial venture that sprung up last year, Golden Spike of Colorado, will be offering trips to the moon, including to potential lunar miners.

Within a few decades, these firms may be meeting earthly demands for precious metals, such as platinum and gold, and the rare earth elements vital for personal electronics, such as yttrium and lanthanum. But like the gold rush pioneers who transformed the western US, the first space miners won't just enrich themselves. They also hope to build an off-planet economy free of any bonds with Earth, in which the materials extracted and processed from the moon and asteroids are delivered for space-based projects.



http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21729064.600-space-miners-hope-to-build-first-offearth-economy.html

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

regulator    0

regulator

I think this is very exciting stuff. I hope they get it going soon. Also when out in space for long periods of time its just a matter of time before the oldest profession gets to take their job off the planet. Thats right...before you know it we'll be having space hookers. Ok my bad...not trying to derail your thread...I just wanted an opportunity to say space pussy.

:ph34r:

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

rhaig    0

rhaig
I'm reading a sci fi book now where this problem is tangentially mentioned. A large ship in our solar system with thousands of men and a few hundred women (military and civilian)... The proposal was made to open bars and bring in "semi-professional entertainment".

space pussy
--
Rob

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

rehmwa    2

rehmwa
Quote

I'm reading a sci fi book now where this problem is tangentially mentioned. A large ship in our solar system with thousands of men and a few hundred women (military and civilian)... The proposal was made to open bars and bring in "semi-professional entertainment".

space pussy



Donaldson's "Gap" series?

One of the best, and so disturbing, sci fi series ever
he really though out of the box on that one

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

rehmwa    2

rehmwa
Quote

that series is on my list. Right now it's the Troy Rising series by John Ringo




Gap is one of the best - although Donaldson seems a bit too impressed with his own vocabulary at times. Don't read it if you are in any way in low mood - unless you want to explore that a bit. :P

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

Stumpy    256

Stumpy
Quote

Quote

I'm reading a sci fi book now where this problem is tangentially mentioned. A large ship in our solar system with thousands of men and a few hundred women (military and civilian)... The proposal was made to open bars and bring in "semi-professional entertainment".

space pussy



Donaldson's "Gap" series?

One of the best, and so disturbing, sci fi series ever
he really though out of the box on that one



What book's that? Always looking for some good scifi.

Have now got the troy rising one on my amazon wishlist.
Never try to eat more than you can lift

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

rehmwa    2

rehmwa

(Gap series) What book's that? Always looking for some good scifi.



Donaldson wrote three series: Mordant's Need, all the "Thomas Convenant" stories, and the Gap Series - I'd recommend all three really though they all come at you in different ways. (I'd let my daughter read Mordant at even junior high, Covenant I'd recommend to over 16, Gap? Grownups, it might be a bit lost on kids). the Gap Cycle is the most grown up of the stories.

He's a very decent writer and can work in a lot of subtext in the plots and subplots. He tends towards a theme of the main character being irrelevant and powerless and then coming to terms that they are powerful and effective. he loads up on personal growth as overcoming futility and despair. Gap is a bit more than that too as the three main characters trade off roles (hero, victim, villian) throughout the series, lots of political background. Also, Mordant and Covenant are more of a fantasy setting, while Gap is sci fi. They all read best if you like a bit of complexity and character building.

It's 5 books. the first is rather short. From Wiki, it's pretty accurate. It brings me down to read, but it's still in my favorite three of all series (though perhaps the Gunslinger series from Stephen King 7 or 8 books, or the Pleiocene Exile FULL series from Julian May I think 9 or 10 books?)

from Wiki
The Gap Cycle

A science fiction epic set in a future where humans have pushed far out into space in the attempt to replace depleted resources, The Gap Cycle follows two concurrent story arcs. The first concerns an ensign in the United Mining Companies Police (UMCP), Morn Hyland, who is attempting simply to stay alive after being captured by a marauder named Angus Thermopyle. The second follows the Byzantine political maneuvering of the head of the UMCP, Warden Dios, as he attempts to thwart the machinations of his boss, Holt Fasner, who is the CEO of United Mining Companies (UMC) and the most powerful man in human space.

Each of the epics takes place against the backdrop of a threat to human survival itself from an alien species called the Amnion who use genetic mutation as a way to assimilate and overcome. Trade in raw materials (mostly ores) is carried out with the Amnion in exchange for technology, by both the UMC and illegals. Some illegals trade in Amnion territorial space, referred to as "forbidden space", out of bounds to the UMCP by treaty.

Donaldson wrote the series in part to be a reworking of Wagner's Ring Cycle. The "Gap" of the title refers to the faster-than-light drives used by the space vessels in order to cross great distances, an instantaneous occurrence similar to the notion of "folding" space.
The Gap series

The Gap into Conflict: The Real Story (1991)
The Gap into Vision: Forbidden Knowledge (1991)
The Gap into Power: A Dark and Hungry God Arises (1993)
The Gap into Madness: Chaos and Order (1994)
The Gap into Ruin: This Day All Gods Die (1996)

The 2008 reprinting of the series combines The Real Story and Forbidden Knowledge into a single volume. According to Donaldson's website, this was done at his request.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gap_Cycle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga_of_Pliocene_Exile
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_King/The_Gunslinger

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

Stumpy    256

Stumpy
Thanks! Will keep me going for a week or two!

Just finished the latest Iain M. Banks novel, really liked some of the culture series but this last one just didn't do it for me.
Been rereading Ender's game too. Totally different but I like it.
Never try to eat more than you can lift

Share this post

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
0
Go To Topic Listing