Monday, January 9, 2012

Humanity to the stars

Long-term plan for the long-term survival of the human race, somewhere other than this solar system

Female skipper chosen to lead 100-year project to go beyond the solar system
With the money in the bank, Jemison's group, the Houston-based Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, now has to take on the challenge of building a programme that can last 100 years which hopefully will result in a starship.
I saw this, and without reading it, remembered several of the "gen-ship" stories that I'd read about in science fiction. The vast output of global resources that would be required is beyond comprehension. However, if the human race commits to launching a lifeboat that would allow potential survival to extend beyond this ravaged planet, then it makes sense to start planning. A 100-year timeline seems reasonable. I'm just not sure what shape the human race and the planet will be in 100 years from now.

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