From: Lawrence de Bivort (debivort@umd5.umd.edu)
Date: Mon 05 Jul 2004 - 14:32:56 GMT
Keith, many thanks for your fascinating summary of the memetic evolution of
L5 and SPS.
To your summary I would add one element: the remarkable work of Barbara
Hubbard in 1) spreading the meme to the general public (Barbara understood
what space colonization might mean to human evolution, and makes it a key
component of her overall advocacy), and 2) bringing together individuals who
might support the space colonization effort. Carol Rosin (who worked with
von Braun), Kraft Ehricke, O'Neill, and Ted Taylor were part of a loose
network of people brought together by Barbara that resulted in
cross-disciplinary exchanges of ideas, grants (e.g. NSF's technology
assessment of Controlled Environment Agriculture -- 1976, and Flow General's
support for Ehricke's work on space mirrors), and lay-oriented conferences
(e.g. Theater for the Future).
I would agree with the thought that our societal institutions lag too far
behind in their evolution to undertake such initiatives in ways that are
healthy, efficient, and sufficiently ambitious.
Your thoughts on the recent private sector into the fringes of space flight?
Cheers,
Lawry
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