Welcome to Counter Argument Thursday (CAT). This is where I write blog post the is opposite and critical of my position on space habitation and space habitation. I do not agree with the position in the blog post or I feel that the problem presented can be overcome, but it is an argument I need to address.
One of the arguments for space habitation that I've read over and over is that the communication delay would make any unmanned mining efforts impossible. However, it seems this is not the case because of developments in bilateral control. Bilateral control overcomes transmission delay by simulating the robot and the object being manipulated next the the user and copying the motions to the distant robot.
If we are able to overcome communication delay, we will be able to send mining drones faster then manned mining ships, simply because they will be lighter.
They will also be cheaper because these missions won’t need pressurized cabins and other things for human survival. Humans would need not only life support, but the mining colony would need to generate food and extract water while mining.
So, from a pure profitability perspective, unmanned is the way to go. Justifying space habitation in the light of this will be hard.
In Case You Skimmed
-Since transmission delay isn’t a factor, there is no reason not to use unmanned systems for mining in space.
Reactions
-Would businesses be willing to give us some profit to have a manned space colony?
