SpaceX is launching Falcon 9 today

[Bestaltan]

The solution isn't death.

And yet, this defies every natural law that determines population growth and maintenance. Every population of every species throughout the entirety of evolutionary history has had its population maintained through death. As odd as it sounds, it is in fact death that maintains the overall health of a species. To alter that in fact weakens the species.

Case in point.......A number of studies have looked at the relationship between deer and wolf populations in southern Canada versus the northwest U.S. (where the native wolf populations until recently had been wiped out). What has been found is that deer populations are healthier, stronger, more resistant to disease, and more robust when there ARE wolf populations preying on them. It is because the wolf population, when hunting, don't go after healthy adults, but those that are sick, weak, infirm, old, etc.

As the only known species that has a deep philosophical understanding of death, we hate it. Nobody wants to die. But to try to "cure" it, as is being implied, will utterly lead to a disaster for the species. True, we can keep individuals alive, but what of humanity in general?

[El_Machinae]

I understand that we have a vague 'loyalty' to the species: this is why we strive for international human rights laws, etc. But, again, death is a pretty poor solution to the problem. There're plenty of problems out there where the "solution" would be to "let them die", but it's a very poor solution. There're alternates, hopefully much better alternates.

What you're suggesting, in a nutshell, is to let some modern person die so that some future person is more healthy. Now, that suggestion is always possible. I can always let some modern person die (of something I could prevent), and spin the opportunity cost into something that will benefit someone in the future.

If your concern is that people are sick, or are going to be less healthy, then that's something to fix too. All it requires is foresight and investment, which is what all problems require. We should be striving to improve the health of 'humanity' anyway. And maybe one of the signs of our health is whether or not we'll save the weakest amongst us from debilitating death. A much better solution to culling the weak is to make the weak strong.

[El_Machinae]

Update!

NASA TV is showing live the ISS capture of Dragon, the SpaceX capsule.


http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

[de Selby]

I started a thread about this and no-one replied... maybe I should have chosen a less apparently whimsical title.

Congratulations to SpaceX.

Anyone else notice the little purple dragon on the desk at mission control?

[de Selby]

They're on the up and up. First contract for their WIP heavy lift rocket, for putting things up in geostationary orbit. They declare this thing will be second only to the Saturn V.

http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20120529