Re: [OT] Space Programs was: Columbia

--- Brian Bilderback <greywanderer987@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> --- Brian Burger <yh728@victoria.tc.ca> wrote:
> > > "laserlight@quixnet.net" wrote:
> > > > I have the opportunity to write an editorial on
> > > > the benefits of the space program
[snip]
> What I find impressive is that humanity has benefitted
> by general applications of technology developed FOR
> the space program as much as it has by technology
> developed BY the space program for general application.

That was going to be my point, actually, me being the materials
guy that I am (or at least, pretend I am sometimes ^_^; ).  The
lightweight metals industry (read: aluminum) in particular has
benefitted incredibly; while at least some reasearch would have
been done into lightweight materials for aircraft purposes, the
space program did accelerate that, and added temperature to the
mix.  Now we have potential materials for things like
light(er)weight car engine blocks, etc., and the costs are going
down.  (Though intense lobbying by the steel industry keeps a
lot of things in steel, and auto manufacturers keep swapping
parts back and forth as new alloys or forming/shaping processes
produce stronger steels... but I digress. ^_^; )

I may be mistaken on this one, but I believe the shuttle (or at
least the space program) is also one of the first places fuel
cells were really put to use, which are now (per the State of
the Union address) apparently going to show up in cars sometime
in the near future.  

(Personally, I don't know that we'll meet the presidential
timetable due to the infrastructure replacement required, but
test programs should certainly be in place... this isn't quite
as motivational a target as reaching the moon, say.  But again,
I digress.)

Anyway, that's part of my take, though I certainly can't
disagree with the other points made.  As for backing this up...
well, I'm sure NASA has some PR stuff out there, but I dunno if
that is as useful as you need.	I know I have some book sources
for the above, but most of my books are... unavailable to me at
the moment.  But I'll look when I get the chance... how long do
you have for this?

'Til later,
		       Aaron Teske
		       mithramuse@njaccess.com
		       aka mithramuse@yahoo.com

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