ALL SCI-FI

[Pow]

So, Bruce & I got discussing the other day about just how many nations have space agencies, and wouldn't it be fantastic if we all could work together in space exploration, with each country contributing what would be realistic?

Countries with a space agency include the African Union, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Cosa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, European Union, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

Issues: Not all of these nations have launch capabilities. Not all nations will be equal in their level of technological sophistication. Not all nations allocate equal funding to their space programs.

Issues: Obviously not all of these nations will work together for the greater good. Certainly the United States wouldn't have Russia, China. or N. Korea on our team.

India & Pakistan hate one another. Some of these countries are under the sphere of brutal dictatorships. Even if they did opt to work with a collection of nations willing to pursue space research, would we want to really be in bed with them? Or trust 'em?

Tragically we have countries such as the Ukraine & Israel currently engaged in wars. Taiwan is looking over their shoulder at China, who wants to dominate them. So their attention and funding are directed in that area.

Still, if the U.S. and a handful of these nations could create a World Space Agency together, pool research and resources and brain power, we could make strides in a space program that could leap us ahead by decades For any one nation to take on an ambitious space program all by its lonesome is impractical & arrogant.

Ah well, we can dream can't we?

[Bud Brewster]

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Good Lord, Mike! I'm dazzled by the incredible amount of research you did for your posts — as well as the impressive pitch you made for the idea that mankind could establish a global space program that will take us to the stars!











You and I both know that some of our friends on All Sci-Fi will feel compelled to point out how unrealistic our shared dream of a World Space Agency seems to be, one which would transform mankind from a "disunited world" into a world of peace, prosperity, and scientific progress!

But that was exactly the dream we were promised during the 1950s. The fact that society has now abandoned that dream is the cause of our current pessimism about the future.

I hope the members of All Sci-Fi will be willing to embrace this optimistic goal and contribute positive comments — rather than start listing all the reasons they consider it impossible.

Gentlemen, I don't want to grow old and die in a world where the dreams of my youth have been abandoned because mankind no longer believes we can create a better world tomorrow.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

Russia announced that its space agency Roscosmos plans to work with China and will construct an automated nuclear reactor on the moon by 2035.

Perhaps this will motivate the U.S. & other friendly nations & allies to unify in order to achieve their goals?

[Bud Brewster]

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Right you are, Mike!

Or maybe the U.S. will just get nervous about the other super powers getting well ahead of the lazy American government, and we'll join them . . . or do something stupid like trying to beat them to the punch, instead of joining an international effort.

"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a second-rate space program."

~ Proverbs 16:18 (sort of . . . )

If we're not careful, they could start out with this —







— and end up with this.



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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Pow]

Awesome photos there, Bruce.

So our first moon landing took place in July 1969. Makes a fella think, where would our space program be if from 1969 on, without interruptions, we continued with our explorations?

Would it be at all possible that we would have some kind of base on the moon by now? Nothing as elaborate perhaps as some of these photos, or Moonbase Alpha from Space: 1999. But some kind of structure 55 years after Neil & Buzz first set foot upon the surface of our moon.