Power: on Earth, we tend to take it for granted. Most of your household power is generated from the burning of fossil fuels—coal and natural gas account for roughly 61 percent of US power. Another 20 percent is generated in nuclear power plants. These resources are nonrenewable—experts estimate that we may have 50–100 years of fossil fuels and over 200 years of natural uranium left—but Earth also has access to a treasure trove of renewable energy sources. In 2019, water, wind, and sun produced enough energy to power over 60 million average American households. No matter where it comes from, accessible energy is plentiful on Earth. But on other planets and in…
Comments closedTag: Space Power
In the decades following the first spacefaring rockets, solar power and radioisotope thermoelectric generators have been responsible for providing power to probes, spacecraft, rovers, and more. In the process, these technologies have been fine-tuned and perfected to make them sturdier, more efficient, and more compact. While these advancements may not necessarily bring about a glorious future of space imperialism, they may contribute to a brighter, cleaner future here on Earth. Since the 70s, NASA has driven innovation in solar panel technology, including designing self-cleaning panels that can keep off dust and dirt. As greenhouse gases build up in our atmosphere…
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In the summer of 1977, two separate launches occurred off of the NASA launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft probes were tasked with traveling to Jupiter and Saturn. The initial plan for the two Voyager probes was a 5-year mission to survey these two distant planets. The initial mission was successful, and the probes were able to travel impossibly farther to Uranus and Neptune for additional flybys. And NASA kept the probes going, farther and farther out until they both eventually reached interstellar space (Voyager 1 in 2012 and Voyager 2 in 2018). What NASA originally intended to be…
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A couple of weeks ago, Elon Musk’s company SpaceX launched the Starlink app to help people connect with their Starlink satellite. But the app made an interesting claim in its terms of service: any future Mars colonizers will not be subject to the authority of “Earth-based government.” There is a lot to unpack there, from the implications of unchecked capitalistic imperialism to the questionable legality of ignoring established space law (yes, there are already laws in space). But before we consider the governing of space colonies, we have to determine if they are even possible. There are many practical considerations…
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