If a space colony fails, that is to say it is leaking air, has a material breach or has a major systems failure and the inhabitants will soon perish they will need a fully enclosed escape capsule to leave with. It must be completely fueled in advance to get to the next nearest orbiting craft, colony, safe Planet or back to Earth. However this may not always be possible thus, the true space pioneers will be heroes just for going and should be respected for doing so. Although this will be a risk, it is one we must take and not shy away from. All too often the political correctness of safety beyond all else is killing our space program and in the end we do not seem to be saving any more people, as our loss ratios are still noticeable. Sure they are better than before but it was in the 70s that we sent men to the moon and it is 2006 now and whereas we have a lot to show for our progress, indeed we have really lost the main thrust of our Space Momentum. Can we get it back? Well apparently we are working on just that, as we prepare to put a colony or base camp on the Moon and eventually a Martian Colony you see? Nevertheless we should attempt to build cheap inexpensive space capsule escape pods perhaps based on the Russian Souz design only big enough for more human inhabitants? The question will be if we cannot build an escape pod do we still have astronauts with the Right Stuff? Well sure we do, but do we have a public which can accept such a risk if things get tough and the tough cannot get going with no where to go and no way to get there? Consider this in 2006. |
