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How would you describe The University of
Luna Project?
In the context
of the Internet, one might describe the
proposed ULP as a Knowledge and
Communications Node as well as a
Research Engine. serving an
international community focused on
lunar science and education, and on the
exploration, commercial development,
and settlement of the Moon -- in short,
the creation of an Earth-Moon
Economy
What is the ultimate goal of The
University of Luna Project?
Our goal is to
enable the creation of an Earth-Moon
economy in which lunar resources will
help mitigate Earth's growing power
generation and environmental
degradation problems.
Why is a cyberspace University of
Luna Project needed?
Despite the
fact that their is a strong resurgence
of interest in the Moon, witness the
Bush Administration's Vision for Space
Exploration, and the many lunar orbiter
and lander missions being advanced
towards realization by several nations,
there is no guarantee, that even with
the proposed Lunar Decade international
collaboration effort, all the lunar
science instruments will be flown that
are needed to develop a really good
"economic geography" of the Moon on
which rational location of a network of
human outposts can be planned.
Nor can we be
confident that the necessary research
and development of technologies needed
to go beyond a minimal outpost and
establish resource-using civilian
settlements will be undertaken.
The University of
Luna Project is designed to promote
orphaned, neglected, and unfunded
missions and technology
development.
What tools would The University of
Luna Project use to promote these efforts
and exploration and technology goals cost
effectively?
First we
intend to establish a cyberspace
Knowledge, Communications, and
Collaboration Node to allow everyone
interested to access a global pool of
research data, mission plans, and
technology information. That in itself
will work to ramp up the amount of
effective networking already taking
place.
Then we will work to
provide online and other fora to
encourage a greater degree of
collaboration and brainstorming
activity.
We would try to
organize brainstorming workshops to
outline needed research directions in
key technology areas such as
human-robot synergies, families of
metal alloys that could be produced
without imported ingredients, modular
biospherics, etc. The potential list is
endless.
We would attempt to
identify specific technologies needed
on the Moon, then brainstorm possible
profitable terrestrial applications for
those technologies, and encourage
entrepreneurs to predevelop them
specifically for those probably
profitable terrestrial applications,
thus putting them, or a close analog
thereof, "on the shelf." available to
the pioneers when needed. This we call
the "spin-up" process.
We would try to
identify instruments different from, or
better versions of those previously
flown on lunar missions and which might
be able to fill in the many gaps in our
"economic geography" resources map of
the Moon.
We will encourage
space transportation solutions specific
to bulk commodities, large assemblies,
and people that promise to dramatically
lower the cost of sending people and
supplies to the Moon.
If we identify other
ways in which the ULP can act as a
catalyst to help advance the day when
the Moon is open for resource
development and settlement, we will
explore those possibilities.
Will The University of Luna Project
itself do research?
No. There are
many outstanding universities with
research facilities and staff capable
of this work. The ULP does not intent
to compete for research dollars. We
want to enable and to collaborate. Our
role is to coordinate research and to
find places where research needing
attention can be done, either in
academic or industrial settings. We
want to be a tool for existing
institutions and industries to expand
the scope of what they are already
doing.
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Why is it important to create an
Earth-Moon Economy?
One frequently
hears the argument, "Why spend all this
money to do something on the Moon when
we have so many problems here on
Earth?"
It's a good point.
Earth is beset by many problems and
they are all getting worse. Our two
greatest problems are dirty energy
production and accelerating
environmental degradation, both
inextricably intertwined. In gross
aggregate effect, energy production and
use is by far the worst
offender.
In the late 1970s,
NASA reported to the US Congress on
three scenarios by which through
leveraging lunar resources, we could
supply Earth with all the clean energy
we could ever hope to use.
Switching to
off-Earth power generation would bring
a slow healing of Earth's environment
-- in short, a cleaner, greener Earth,
and an upward leveling of the economies
of all nations.
Congress did not
want to hear the word "Moon." NASA got
the message, and to this day never
speaks about these options.
If you live on an
island, it would be just plain stupid
not to fish in the sea to supplement
your food supply. Earth is an island.
Space is our sea. The Moon holds
solutions to our two most stubborn
problems.
Will The University of Luna Project
be a teaching institution, offering
degrees?
The short
answer to both parts is no. Again,
there are innumerable colleges and
universities that can offer courses.
But long term, as the number of people
involved in the Project, and the
talents and expertise that they bring
grows, the ULP would work to develop
new open-source research-focused
curricula that can be adopted by
teaching and degree granting
institutions worldwide.
Our goal is to get
the research done, and to encourage
existing institutions to get
involved.
How important is the University of
Luna Project focus on student level
research?
This emphasis
is absolutely critical. The generation
now working in all areas of space
related activity is quickly graying and
young people have not been taking their
place as these veterans retire. It is
essential that the University of Luna
Project inspire young people, instill
in them the wonders of our Solar
System, the vision of a Greener,
Cleaner, and more globally prosperous
an Earth we could have by tapping the
wealth of resources that lie in the sea
of space surrounding our island planet.
Working to develop technologies needed
to open the lunar frontier but which
also will benefit citizens of Earth
will be doubly exciting. If we do not
hand over our dream to the next
generation, our dream will die.
Is there a public outreach component
to this Project?
Yes. On the
one hand, we need to reach the public
at large if we are going to inspire
young people to get involved. On the
other hand, as the Project makes
progress, and people see results, the
extent and depth of enthusiasm for this
greater conception of our "world" as
including the Moon and other nearby
bodies, will grow. More people will
accept that solving problems down here,
may require tapping resources out
there.
How will you fund this
effort?
Our initial
funding needs will be modest. We will
need funds for webhosting, website
management, modest travel expenses,
promotional materials, etc. Of course,
gifts-in-kind are always
welcome.
But as the Project
expands, funding needs could become
major We will tackle those in a divide
and conquer manner.
For example, R&D
projects for needed technologies, could
reasonably be funded by enterprises
that may stand to benefit from any
profitable terrestrial applications.
Such companies might even make
available their own research
laboratories.
Companies that may
wish to get involved in the opening of
the Moon will be another source of
funds.
In short, we will
have to develop funding mechanisms as
the Project grows in scope and size.
Certainly, we will be requesting
endowments and bequests on the part of
individuals and
corporations.
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