In order for space habitation to be initiated within a reasonable amount of time, nations will have to work together. “Based on past experience with the International Space Station (ISS) it is likely that current plans for human missions to the moon and Mars will evolve into international efforts” (1). From this I will assume space habitation will be an international effort. Thus, in order for space habitation to world, the nations must develop of spirit of cooperation.
“Obama has directed his administration to recommend by no later than Jan. 29 steps leading to an overhaul of the U.S. export control regime, according to a presidential directive signed Dec. 21” (2). This overhaul of export controls effects space industry because technology is controlled; the freedom to share technical information is limited. I only have my first year engineering classes to base the follow claim on, but I feel engineers are trained to cooperate. To help each other to solve problems. But, if we stop cooperating and sharing information, not only do we lose the accelerated and insightful developments because of international discussion, but we lose people willing to discuss our problems with. We lose nations willing to work with us, out of fear they are losing a technical edge. Once those things are lost, international cooperation and discussion on basic problems will cease, let alone development on space habitation.
Summary
Export control reform will increase international cooperation in technical fields which aids to the development towards space habitation.
Reactions
-Do we really need international cooperation to do space habitation?
-Is the US suffering with less export control?
Resources
1: "Space Colonization Exploration Strategies" n.d. Online. NASA. Accessed on January 20, 2010. <http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20090037579_2009038392.pdf>
2: Klamper, Amy. "Obama Memo Puts Export Reform on Front Burner" January 15, 2010. Online. Space News. Accessed on January 20, 2010. <http://www.spacenews.com/policy/100115-obama-memo-puts-export-reform-front-burner.html>
