Why are governments useful in times of big crisis? Because they can recover the economy, printing currency, supporting stock markets after catastrophic events, such as pandemics.
The extraordinary growth of our civilization in this closed world has reached the limit.
The closed world syndrome puts civilization at risk, with many threats such as pandemics, climate changes, big migrations.
Expanding civilization into outer space is even more urgent in the new context determined by the above threats.
In these days, in which the worst dystopian science fiction seems to have invaded reality, many are led to reflect, in particular, on the fact that the extraordinary growth of our civilization in a closed world has reached a limit. Some practical philosophical reflection may therefore be welcome. Different futures await us, depending on the choices we will make. Continue reading →
It is not a matter of “saving the planet”, but saving civilization and its development.
The only sustainable development is the one that aims at space, using the immense resources of the Solar System.
A 18th point shall be added to the agenda of the 17 UN 2030 sustainable development goals (SDG):
BOOTSTRAP A TRUE CIVIL EXPANSION IN SPACE!
Space Community: let’s wake up and fight for our solutions! Stop following or denying the insufficient closed world recipes!Continue reading →
A million and a half students, even very young ones, took to the streets Friday March 15th, in two thousand cities around the world, for the climate, responding to a Greta Thunberg’s call. Greta is a 16-year-old student in Stockholm: “I will not stop. Not until greenhouse gas emissions have fallen below the alarm level.” Considering the great support she had, it would seem that students were not waiting for anything else, with great outcry of the ecologists of various tendencies, who have for years repeated the same call, without being able to arouse mass movements of this magnitude. Continue reading →
This paper was presented during the symposium D4.2
Abstract
Space Renaissance International (SRI)[1], with a key role played by its Italian chapter[2], organized a stakeholders platform and discussion forum around the paradigm change from space exploration to civil expansion and settlement beyond Earth. The various members contributed with insights and views from Space Agencies, industry and academia, including also NewSpace entrepreneurs, students and civil society representatives. The objective of this initiative is to highlight the relevance of the NewSpace paradigm for the economy, with a focus on Italy, while evaluating the valuable benefits and opportunities of social and cultural developments related to space activities. The key element of this paper is to identify key recommendations and future strategies to accompany the transition from the current space exploration approach, towards an innovative concept of “space industrialization”, which includes the construction and maintenance of space infrastructures directly in space, also by reusing space debris and space resources, and by developing new capabilities for civil passenger transportation and accommodation in space. Some examples are provided in terms of reusable launch systems approaches (e.g. Space X) and Additive Layer Manufacturing technology, highlighting the technological and economic benefits for the industrial development of Earth’s orbit and beyond. The paper further elaborates on enabling technologies that could be further investigated as a first priority: low-cost orbital transport for civil passengers, inter-orbital maneuverability concepts, horizontal takeoff and soft acceleration during Earth to orbit travel, innovative and safer re-entry approaches. Among others, priority should also be given to scientific research to protect life and health; e.g. cosmic radiation protection, space habitats with artificial gravity by rotation, artificial ecosystems and exo-gardening and horticulture. This framework also includes reflections on key legal aspects, and a critical review of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and the International Maritime Law. The paper in its conclusion highlights how the leaders of such technological developments will benefit from significant returns on investments, but could also ignite a new Renaissance, five hundred years after the Italian one.
During the “Space and Society” plenary session, Adriano Autino talks about the three main challenges that Civilization is facing:
the so called “save the planet” challenge (climate change, etc…)
the space exploration
to save civilization from possible implosion
In this short speech at UNISPACE+50, in Wien, the President of Space Renaissance International points out that eight billion terrestrials can save the civilization only by kicking-off immediately the civilian expanse into outer space. But such a challenge is not properly considered, by the decision makers. And it is essential to give the highest priority to it.
The full transcript of Autino’s recommendation: “My name is Adriano Autino and I am the president of Space Renaissance International. I think many of you saw our open letter to UNISPACE +50, that we are giving around to potentially interested friends.
Humanity is facing three main challenges. The first one is the so-called save-the-planet thing, many goals of the 2030 agenda include these goals, climate change and other things. Let’s say to use space for Earth environment. The second challenge is space exploration, that will maybe take us to Mars with a first expedition. The third challenge is to save the civilization. Our analysis at Space Renaissance International is that this third challenge is a little bit disattended and neglected, because eight billion terrestrials cannot save their civilization if they will not begin immediately to expand into space. Expansion of civilization into space is a different thing wrt the exploration of space. Exploration can be done by trained astronauts, able to bear acceleration of 4-5G, and to face hard and dangerous re-enter in the atmosphere. So, what we need, if we want to carry civilian passengers into space, is a full change of paradigm in the mission requirements. If we want to travel work and live in space we have to be protected by cosmic radiation, we have to have artificial gravity in order to avoid the problems for health etc., low accelleration, safe reenter, etc. A full change of paradigm. I would like to see not only the space tourism branch to face this problem. I would like to see many other industrial, commercial and governmental branches to be aware of this challenge, to save our civilization from a possible implosion caused by the many problems that we have on on this small planet now. Thank you and sorry for taking your attention.”
In this excellent interview, Jeff Greason explains in plain and simple words why civilization needs to expand into the outer space, why the expansion shall be a manned one, and why we need it now, and not in a distant future. We copied here, adding some comments of ours, some of the most interesting points made by Jeff. But of course we invite everybody to read the whole interview.
About the basic socio-economic need for civilian space development, Jeff says: “There are many reasons which are true, but I find secondary, though others find them compelling. For example, the industrial and economic development of space is going to require both machines and people – just as has been the case in all past economic development efforts. And that economic development will drive some significant features of life on Earth. For example, raising the standard of living of everyone on the planet to “first world” levels is going to require something like 30% increase in the energy use of human civilization, and space is about the only place to get that (if you didn’t know, the solar system has about a billion Earth’s worth of energy available).”
And, on the philosophical topic: “There is the long run argument, that there are indeed risks to the survival of the human species; planetary disasters, both natural and man-made, are possible. A good argument can be made that all successful species spread to all available ecological niches, and human beings are unique in that we have used tools and technology to redefine what we can consider “habitable” – if you think things like clothing, agriculture, controlled fire, fishing and whaling boats, aren’t ‘technology’ then try living without them! And it is our increased use of energy, to drive high intensity agriculture, fertilizers, transportation of food and materials, heating and cooling, synthesis of metals and concrete, and most recently, global trade, that has allowed us to greatly expand the human population and decrease dramatically both the fraction of that population, and even the absolute number of people who live in serious poverty. If we want civilization to continue, we need to continue that expansion to new niches, and if we want to insulate ourselves against risks to the planet, we need that population to include as many planets – indeed, as many star systems – as possible.”
Hereafter, Jeff addresses an argument that is very relevant, for us at Space Renaissance, the argument of urgency, and how to communicate this urgency to the people at large. “I think that argument is true but it lacks urgency. It’s like defending against an asteroid strike – it’s easy to see it’s a good idea, and that it would be cheap insurance, but after all, it might not strike for a thousand years, so that doesn’t strike people as urgent. And the fact that it’s just as likely to happen next month as in a thousand years doesn’t move people, even though that’s quite true.”
Another argument dear to SRI is then developed: we are not simply interested to survive as a species, we want our civilization to survive, with our way of life, that means our culture, as it results from hundreds thousands years of history and our freedom. “What motivates me is not so much the threat to human civilization, but to the KIND of civilization I want to live in – one that values human beings and human freedom. It is common for people to treat those conditions as if that was the normal condition of humanity when very obviously, it is not now the norm everywhere on the planet, and as recently as a few centuries ago, was not the norm anywhere on the planet. Having a physical frontier – a place you can go, if you really, really want to, has been essential to the maintenance of that kind of civilization, for two reasons. First, is philosophical. Why should you value freedom? If someone else has something you want, why not go and take it? Yes, we all know that trade and civilization could not exist if there were no security of private property – but what’s that to you? You have to understand – to believe — that you have something to gain from civilization – that you have a stake in it. You have to understand that it is NOT a zero-sum game – that the pie can get bigger. A quick study of history shows that it has been getting bigger, very fast, but people don’t study history. They have to SEE it. Well, when you can see new lands next door, new farms, new fields, new forests, it’s hard to convince people that they can’t better themselves if they want to put in the work. Calls for socialism and collectivism find fewer ears.”
Of course, in a context of abundant resources and greater social development opportunities for everyone, there will be objectively less opportunities for coercive collectivist regimes, of any ideological imprinting, both socialist or fascist. And, we would like to add, also calls for wars and violent confrontations should find fewer ears. So there will be a chance for some ethical step forward.
Moritz Bierling (Exosphere) interviewed Adriano Autino, President of Space Renaissance International, in the frame of the Exosphere show called “The Creative Economy Interviews”. Autino talks about the Renaissance, begun 500 years ago, now aiming to outer space.
Your work with Space Renaissance, what is it about and what do you plan for it?
To make the meaningful steps of civilian expansion into outer space during next ten years is very urgent: low cost access to orbit, protection of life and human health for civilians passengers and settlers, a coherent space law system, to rule the commercial civilian activities in outer space.
The change of paradigm, now feasible, from military space exploration to civilization expansion into outer space. This is our presentist vision: the future shall be now! Traditional futurism, that used to promise a brilliant and distant future, is now obsolete. Humanity needs that brilliant future, now.
We recently had a very good methodology lesson by Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX: let’s do what we can with the technologies we have, which demonstrated that we can certainly achieve immediate results.
A Columbus egg, a brilliant yet logical idea after all, if we cannot yet build a single stage transportation directly to orbit , let’s take both stages back down to Earth surface for reuse. Such a simple strategy is already downsizing the cost to orbit, making the old monopoly of expendable rockets obsolete.
So we have some urgent priorities, as we discussed during the recent Space Renaissance 2nd World Congress:
– to accelerate the development of technologies for Low Cost Access to Earth Orbit,
– to resolve the issues of protection of civilian life and health in space,
– to develop a suitable set of laws, to rule the activities in Outer Space, i.e. to code the civilian rights in space
– to build the geo-lunar space infrastructures, from Earth orbit to Lagrange Points, developing habitats, manned workshops, industrial settlements, asteroids mining, hotels, advanced research settlements
This is a complete change of paradigm: from (military) space exploration to civilian space development.
In this perspective, priorities change: protecting life and health assumes great relevance, since people will live and work in space for long periods or undetermined time. In the space exploration paradigm, we had mission requirements, for round trips, or lingering few months in space. In the space settlement paradigm, we have humanist anthropologic requirements. The exploration time didn’t need a space law system, since astronauts were subject to military rules, with no warranties, nor the space agencies were responsible for their life. The space settlement urgently needs space law, to be evolved from the Outer Space Treaty (1967), and the marittime law. During next four years, SRI will develop the Space Renaissance Tour, bringing our proposals to the five continents, with big events involving rocket stars, and rock stars… we are negotiating, i cannot make any name, so far.
And your advice to young people just starting out and wanting to get into cool work, what do you recommend the young people of Italy and the world to do in order to get started with their careers?
Everything we are doing is done for young people.
The birth of civilian space development will create millions new jobs, on Earth and in space, as it was done during the past century, by the aeronautic industry, the automotive industry and other industrial vectors, now obsolete.
My first suggestion would address more to the education and entertainment dealers.
Our young people are shamefully kept in the ignorance of the ongoing renaissance, and the extreme need to support it.
The Space Renaissance Academy is trying to fill such a big gap, providing knowledge about history of astronautics, history of the renaissance, our present and our future.
Initiatives like Exosphere are very opportune and useful too, since they allow many young people to join together, sharing meaningful contents.
But i take this chance to extend a call to all journalists and medialists: come to us, take our urgent message and spread it to the young generations, the Renaissance needs them, and they need the Renaissance!
There are many works that can be made in Earth orbit, today, with high return, in terms of costs saving, in the frame of the current space market.
Talking about satellites, it would be very much convenient to mount, them in orbit, by manned orbit workshops. The satellites could then be placed in the required orbit, and periodically maintained, by such orbital workshops.
The recovery and possible reuse of the space debris is another topic that will gain momentum in the immediate future.
But we should start to think to a context in which many earthling jobs will have their counterpart in space: restaurants, shops, arts, sports, entertainment, tourism, hotels…
The civilian space travelers and inhabitants will not be “astronauts”, in the meaning we know today…
And the geo-lunar civilization will not need only scientific and technological skills… there will be need of philosophers, writers, psychologists, cultural operators, and many other humanistic skills.
So, a pragmatic suggestion to young people:
give to your studies another direction, whatever your preferred field: to the high!
We at SPACE RENAISSANCE have a few clear and simple concepts, of which one is: THERE IS NO GROWTH WITHOUT INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT – and without growth our civilization will die. The only way to really re-start economic growth, beyond merely short-term remedies, is to boot-strap the new era of human expansion beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, by accelerating the development of low-cost space travel. We therefore propose a strongly positive strategy, aiming upwards towards this clear goal. In the present recession, many investors are keeping their money uninvested, while “waiting for better times”. But this is worse than useless: the withdrawal of such funds from circulation reduces economic activity, making the possibility of economic revival weaker and weaker. To avoid this awful scenario, the only way is to create new fields for economic growth. The most promising new industrial opportunity is to finally trigger the new industrial revolution of civilian astronautics, which can quickly reverse the crisis, re-starting an era of double-digit growth in the developed countries as well as in the recently emerging countries, thereby creating millions of new high-level and middle-class jobs, both in space and on Earth. How is this to be done? The key step, which can open a true cornucopia of virtually unlimited future development, is investing in “space tourism”, that is, passenger space travel services, starting with sub-orbital flights. This is a very low-cost new approach to space development, which will supply popular services to the general public, and open new fields for investment with unlimited potential for further growth – through large-scale orbital industries leading on to lunar economic development and beyond. The first phase of these new industries should be supported by governments with friendly fiscal policies, as governments do for other selected industries. A pool of investment funds should also be created, specifically targeted to stimulate development of civilian astronautics in its many aspects.
The 2021 Space Renaissance Congress has concluded, the July 15th. The new President, Prof. Bernard Foing, and the new Board of Directors were elected. Three final motions were voted and will now constitute the guidelines for next five years. See here the outcomes of the Congress.
Space Renaissance France (French Chapter of SRI) 
Space Renaissance USA, Inc. (USA Chapter of SRI)
Space Renaissance (Italian Chapter of SRI)
Space Renaissance India (Indian Chapter of SRI)
African Space Renaissance (African Chapter of SRI)
Space Renaissance Academy
Space Renaissance Initiative Group