Meaningful Work or Death
Because of the Roadmap, I just rewrote the ‘Why the Countdown‘ page.
Why October 27, 2031?
In October 2006, Liftport released the first comprehensive analysis of the steps needed to design, manufacture and deploy a space elevator. The results of this study pushed the former date, April 12, 2018, back a few years.
And I wanted to howl about how unfair it all is. 2031? I’ll be an old man of 61. My youth! My faded beauty!
Then I realized I was being silly, settled down and published the page. Got back to work in other words. This is what happens with complicated projects that are being run well; you adjust to reality and don’t demand that reality adjust to your deadline.
In the end, we’re better for it. We’ve got a solid grasp of the broad outlines of what needs to be done. It’s going to take longer – and we always knew it might – but in a perverse way we’re in a better position to say we can (probably) do this thing.
I am taking odd pleasure in this quote from Hugh MacLeod
Meaningful Work or Death. Any other form of existence doesn’t interest me.
Amen.
Respectfully Submitted,
Brian Dunbar
October 6th, 2006 at 10:48 am
“And I wanted to howl about how unfair it all is. 2031? I’ll be an old man of 61. My youth! My faded beauty!”
Hopefully by 2031 if we can build a space elevator we will also have a pretty good handle on the aging process. Hopefully you will be a young 61 and able to fully enjoy to fruits of your labor.
As the great Woody Allen once said:
“I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work, I want to achieve it though not dying.”
October 6th, 2006 at 11:31 am
Well said Brian, well said.
Although I will not be as old as you, perhaps you are at an advantage.
My guess is that by the time humans are able to use it, you’ll probably be in your 70′s. But by then, micro gravity will be a plus since you do not have to worry about your muscles going bad because of the atrophy.
Perhaps our generation (and the one before) missed the opportunity of space back in the day and we are simply building this for the upcoming generation.
October 8th, 2006 at 6:59 am
I used to be hopping to see the SE biult before I reached 70. Oh well, I guess I better strat taking better care of myself.
October 13th, 2006 at 6:27 am
“I’ll be an old man of 61. ”
You’re breaking my heart. I was born in 1945. Do the math.
October 13th, 2006 at 6:49 am
You’re breaking my heart. I was born in 1945. Do the math.
Heh.
December 21st, 2006 at 6:09 pm
With a project of this scale, we would need everyone on the planet working towards the common goal to achieve the required result quicker.
As I know that isn’t going to ever happen, I’m just going to have to wait!
Maybe this is the reason for Aliens being able to travel to us, but not the other way around!
This is all very exciting stuff!!
Good work Liftport
December 26th, 2006 at 10:59 am
With a project of this scale, we would need everyone on the planet working towards the common goal to achieve the required result quicker.
Well, no. I suspect (but of course don’t know) that simply throwing people at the problem would be akin to throwing more people at a programming problem; your productivity decreases as you add people to the project.
First we have to define the parameters of the problem – which we’re doing. Then we can get to work. And even at that a fair bit of this project is going to involve automation. We don’t need teeming masses with pickaxes beavering away – just support.