Human Migration to Space: Alternative Technological Approaches for Long-Term Adaptation to Extraterrestrial Environments

219 Pages·2014·3.67 MB·English

by  Elizabeth Song Lockard (auth.)

Springer Theses
Recognizing Outstanding Ph.D. Research
Elizabeth Song Lockard

Human
Migration
to Space
Alternative Technological Approaches
for Long-Term Adaptation to
Extraterrestrial Environments
Springer Theses
Recognizing Outstanding Ph.D. Research
For furthervolumes:
http://www.springer.com/series/8790
Aims and Scope
The series “Springer Theses” brings together a selection of the very best Ph.D.
theses from around the world and across the physical sciences. Nominated and
endorsed by two recognized specialists, each published volume has been selected
foritsscientificexcellenceandthehighimpactofitscontentsforthepertinentfield
of research. For greater accessibility to non-specialists, the published versions
includeanextendedintroduction,aswellasaforewordbythestudent’ssupervisor
explainingthespecialrelevanceoftheworkforthefield.Asawhole,theserieswill
provide a valuable resource both for newcomers to the research fields described,
and for other scientists seeking detailed background information on special ques-
tions.Finally,itprovidesanaccrediteddocumentationofthevaluablecontributions
madebytoday’syoungergenerationofscientists.
Theses are accepted into the series by invited nomination
only and must fulfill all of the following criteria
(cid:129) TheymustbewritteningoodEnglish.
(cid:129) ThetopicshouldfallwithintheconfinesofChemistry,Physics,EarthSciences,
EngineeringandrelatedinterdisciplinaryfieldssuchasMaterials,Nanoscience,
ChemicalEngineering,ComplexSystemsandBiophysics.
(cid:129) Theworkreportedinthethesismustrepresentasignificantscientificadvance.
(cid:129) Ifthethesisincludespreviouslypublishedmaterial,permissiontoreproducethis
mustbegainedfromtherespectivecopyrightholder.
(cid:129) They must have been examined and passed during the 12 months prior to
nomination.
(cid:129) Each thesis should include a foreword by the supervisor outlining the signifi-
canceofitscontent.
(cid:129) The theses should have a clearly defined structure including an introduction
accessibletoscientistsnotexpertinthatparticularfield.
Elizabeth Song Lockard
Human Migration to Space
Alternative Technological Approaches for
Long-Term Adaptation to Extraterrestrial
Environments
ElizabethSongLockard
Environmental+InteriorDesign
ChaminadeUniversity
Honolulu,HI,USA
ISSN2190-5053 ISSN2190-5061(electronic)
ISBN978-3-319-05929-7 ISBN978-3-319-05930-3(eBook)
DOI10.1007/978-3-319-05930-3
SpringerChamHeidelbergNewYorkDordrechtLondon
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2014936838
©SpringerInternationalPublishingSwitzerland2014
Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpart
of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations,
recitation,broadcasting,reproductiononmicrofilmsorinanyotherphysicalway,andtransmissionor
informationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilar
methodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped.Exemptedfromthislegalreservationarebriefexcerpts
inconnectionwithreviewsorscholarlyanalysisormaterialsuppliedspecificallyforthepurposeofbeing
enteredandexecutedonacomputersystem,forexclusiveusebythepurchaserofthework.Duplication
ofthispublicationorpartsthereofispermittedonlyundertheprovisionsoftheCopyrightLawofthe
Publisher’s location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from
Springer.PermissionsforusemaybeobtainedthroughRightsLinkattheCopyrightClearanceCenter.
ViolationsareliabletoprosecutionundertherespectiveCopyrightLaw.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publicationdoesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexempt
fromtherelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse.
While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of
publication,neithertheauthorsnortheeditorsnorthepublishercanacceptanylegalresponsibilityfor
anyerrorsoromissionsthatmaybemade.Thepublishermakesnowarranty,expressorimplied,with
respecttothematerialcontainedherein.
Printedonacid-freepaper
SpringerispartofSpringerScience+BusinessMedia(www.springer.com)
Supervisor’s Foreword
I have taught graduate level courses and chaired or served as a member of scores
of PhD dissertations at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and elsewhere for
more than 40 years. I have also been involved in delivering core lectures and
departmental workshops in “space humanities” at the International Space Univer-
sity,headquarteredinStrasbourg,France.ThedissertationbyLizaLockardisone
of the most broadlyconceived, diligently researched, and elegantlyargued space-
oriented dissertations I have ever had the privilege of chairing. It deserves to be
publishedbySpringerinthisseriessothatitcanbewidelysharedandadmired.
Before earning a PhD in political science, Dr. Lockard was educated to be an
architect,andshe bothteaches andengagesinarchitecturaldesignprofessionally.
She thus brings an architect’s sense of design, interconnectedness, balance, and
dynamics to all her work, especially to this dissertation concerning the past and
futuresofhumanspaceflightandwhatitmightmeanforthefuturesofhumanity,
whichisnotonlyverybroadinscopeandforesight,butalsodeepinsophistication
anddetail.Andyetitiswritteninanopenandeasilyaccessiblestyle.
Most of the vast literature about human space orientation is either imminently
practicalorobjectivelyscientific.Someoftheliteratureisexpansivelyphilosoph-
ical and aspirational, often suggesting that space exploration and settlement is a
necessary next step in human evolution; indeed, that the very purpose of the
evolution of life itself on Earth was to evolve to the point where intelligence was
ableandwillingmoveoffofEarthintotheinnersolarsystem,andtheneventually
tootherplanetsandintheverylongrun,tospreadthroughouttheuniverse.
The monograph by Prof. Lockard in a sense embraces aspects of all of these
views, from the most practical and “down to earth,” if you will, to the most
speculative,spectacular,andinspiring.Moreover,sheisquiteunusualinincluding
a serious consideration of the ethical and political implications of space explora-
tion, both immediately for Earth itself as well as for the long range futures of
intelligentlifeinthecosmos.
Honolulu,HI JimDator
v
ThiSisaFMBlankPage
To my father, Arthur Hunt Lockard, who
encouraged me to always follow my heart,
despite the impractical paths it frequently
took me down; and to Ginger, Laka, and
Scout, who stayed patiently by my side
throughout my journey, offering equal
amounts of moral support and necessary
distraction.
They have provided me with the greatest
examples of empathy, intelligence, humor,
and love.
ThiSisaFMBlankPage
Abstract
AshumansembarkuponthenextphaseofSpaceexploration—establishinghuman
outpostsinlow-Earthorbit,ontheMoon,andonMars—thescopeofhumanfactors
mustexpandbeyond themeagerrequirementsforshort-termmissionstoSpaceto
includeissuesofcomfortandwell-beingnecessaryforlong-termdurations.How-
ever,tohabitate—todwellinaplace—impliesmorethancreaturecomfortsinorder
to adapt. Human factors research must also include a phenomenological perspec-
tive—anunderstandingofhowweexperiencetheplaceswelivein—inorderfora
communitytoberobustandtothrive.
Thefirstphaseofmigrationwillbeanespeciallytenuousonerequiringintensive
technological intervention. The modes by which those technologies are
implemented will have significant bearing on the process of human adaptation:
thenatureofthemediationcanbeeitheroneofdomination,subordination,avoid-
ance,orintegration.Ultimately,adaptationisbestensuredifsymbioticprocessesof
negotiation and cooperation between subject and environment are espoused over
actsofconquestoracquiescence.
The adaptive mechanisms we choose to develop and employ will have wider
implicationsforlong-rangehumanevolution.Thetransformationswewillundergo
willbeinfluencedbyboththeinitialdecisiontomigratetoSpace(technological),
as well as the actual conditions of Space (environmental). Migration to extrater-
restrial environments will be unequivocally the most profound catalyst for evolu-
tioninthehistoryofhumankind—notonlyforthehumanspeciesitselfbutalsofor
the new environments we will eventually inhabit. At the same time, we also find
ourselves—via a new generation of bio-, nano-, and digital technologies—in the
position to consciously and willfully direct our own evolution. Technology has
always been transformative, but in the not-so-distant future, we will soon possess
the capacity to radically re-invent ourselves in almost any way conceivable. The
discourseonhumanevolutioninSpacemustbesituatedintheconfluenceofthese
twovariables.
ix