March 1979 L-5 NEWS a PUBLICATION of the L-5 SOCIETY VOL
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March 1979 L-5 NEWS A PUBLICATION OF THE L-5 SOCIETY VOL. 4 NUMBER 3 MARCH 1979 In this issue: 1 Bound For Glory Want to go up into space? Keith Henson tells how. Jennifer L. Atkins, Ha11dy Clamo11s, by Jennifer Atkins. What's the real story Caroly11 He11so11, 2 Government Rip-Off? behind the 1978 Solar Energy Policy Forums? 11/cestis R . Obt>rg. Editorinl Staff 3 Notes on the "Great Adventure" Movie by Ken McCormich. Carolyn Henson, W illiam Weigle, 4 Space Shuttle Club of Japan by Iwao Eto. Administrative Services Roard of l >irt'ctors: DOE Moves Powersats to Front Burner Ca rolyn Henson reports l.111ac 11Ji111m• that the Department of Energy is warming up to SPS. Bnrry (;oldwatn, Sr. Hobert ti. l fri11lri11 Barbara Marx Hubbard 5 Space Policy by Ken McCormick. Representatives of business and C.ordon R. ll'nndmck industry sound off on Carter's policy. Senators Schmitt, Stevenson and Philip K. Chap111a11 Press debate the issues. A rthur Ka11truwit: Ko11rad K. /)a1111rnbrrg fa/ward H. Fi11d1. Jr. 7 Quiet Colony ]. l't•trr l'ajk jack I>. Salmon 8 The New Space Program Philip K. Chapman discusses the space llarla11 Smith program in the perspective of the future of humankind. Norie II 11d<ll1• Mark llnpki11s II. Kt•1th llen.w11 Carolyn Mrinrl I fr11.w11 9 Life Support Workshop by j ohn M. Phillips ll'11/ia111 ll'riglr 10 Skylab by Jennifer Atkins. An update on the falling satellite - w hat is and isn't being done. Publication office: the L -5 Society. 1060 E. Elm, Tucson, Arizo11a 12 International Satellite Industries, Inc. Launched by Carolyn 85719. Published monthly. Henson Subscription: $12.00 per year, included in dues ($20.00 per year. 13 Of Interest: students $15.00 per year). Second class postage paid al Tucson, Register Now for Princeton Conference Arizona and additional offices. Detroit L-5 Copyright © 1979 by the L ·5 L-5 at Lehigh Society. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written consent of the L ·5 Society. Letters The opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the policy of the L ·5 Society. Membership Services: L-5 Society. 1620 N. Park Avenue, Tucson, Arizona 85719. Telephone: 6021622-6)51. Change of address notices, undeliverable copies, orders for su bscriptions, and other mail item s are to be sent to: L·5 Society Membership Services 1620 N. Park Cover: Skyla b: Lh e abandoned ship. (See Skylab by Jennifer Atkins, page 11 of Tucson, AZ 85719 this issue). by H. Keith H enson "What should I do LO improve my place in "Sun City in the Sky." wi ll be o pen.) chances of going?" In the last four years. Other fact0rs that might have an dfcct o n Health: If yo u smoke (tobacco that is). giving perhaps 100 lectures on space your chances arc hard to change. Females quit. I) It's dangerous LO yo ur hea lth in a colonies, this is the most persistam and minority g roups probably have a space habitat. Non -smokers may ask you to question I have been asked. be 11 er chance (provided the current social smoke outside. 2) You may no t live long It's a hard question because (amo ng acti on plans rema in in effect). but sex enough to go. other obvious reasons) the a nswer depends change operatio ns and allover tawos are Otherwise stay in good shape. Get a first on who does it. For example, were the not recommended. Lots of money is aid card. Your local Red Cross offers Japanese· lO build space industries Olli of ano ther way. With enoug h money you can classes for a sma ll charge. their balance o r payments excesses. build your own space colony, but please. Hobbies: Try mountain climbing (wiLh learning Japanese and the proper way to no more bank robberies! • ropes), or skyd ivi ng. or hang gliding. drink green tea migh t be the most "Well. what can I do 10 im prove my Learn 10 fl y a light plane, or learn scuba important thing you could do. If the U.S. chances?", I hear you say. Herc's my list. diving. Occupation as a miner, fire fighter. government docs it, jo ining one or the Add what you will, or make your own. or fann er migh t substitute. armed services could be a smart move Education: Get a solid prdctical All of these have a tencla ncy to maim or (veteran preference in civil service). A knowledge 0£ e lementary physics and kill the careless (and sometimes even the private emerprise o utfit with too many chemistry. You need not be a n expert. but careful), but they do teach the importance eager job applicants might want you to be your life, and the Jives Of thOSC around )'OU of doing things righ t. Be sure to get an early stockholder. I admit to being will depend on sound judgement of qualified instruction, pay auention. a nd partial to a company doing the job. II physical and chemical effects. I think that be careful. T here is a saying in aviation. decreases the chances or job applicants for the first few years no o ne, including the "There are o ld pilots, and bold pilo ts, but (like me) having to put up with gardener and the cook. will go without a no o ld. bold pilo ts." psychologiSLS prodding us with electric college sophomore level knowledge of Miscellaneous ski lls: Learn 10 cook. If shocks while we try to solve problems these subjects. If you are not up to this you don't know how, help someone (who hunched over in the dark! The social level, consider yo ur local community docs know) to butcher a hog. You never scientist types have just too much ho ld on college or corresponde nce courses. can tell when such a skill wi ll come in the government. Anybody who can multiply three n umbers handy. In the middle or the night on a What ca uses space to be se ttled and how together can figure the lorce on a n a irlock recent business trip to Iowa, I came upon it is done makes a difference, too. Your door. someone who had just run over a hog. The expertise as a turbine blade machinist will Experience: Work on the Alaskan gas highway patrol to ld the guy who had run be of li11le avail if solar cells turn out to be pipeline, or spend a winter at McMurdo over the hog that he couldn't leave it there, the power gcnerdtion method or choice for sound in Antarlica. A tour or duty o n a so I cleaned it and he took it home. (I solar power satellites. Likewise. your years Po laris submarine would be ideal. Work would have taken it, but American Airlines of research in purifyi ng and dopeing on an offshore oil rig might suHicc. or won't check a dead hog). Not only is this a semiconductors won't help much if some other really isolated p lace. Many useful skill. but you will improve your turbines arc the way to go. Even your deep years ago I put in some time with a LLQ.•• knowkdgc of phased array radar won't geoph ys ics crew in the near vacuum (7psi) And if in spite or all our efforts we end help if they bring the energy down by laser of the Peruvian Andies. I found tha t some up stuck on the ground while others go up. or tum it intoamimatterand bring it down people like isolation. some are indifferent, remember a) there's another ship next in a bag. If some massive breakthrough in and some go stark raving mad! Find out. month, a nd b) until the hielding is up. the fus i o n makes S PS un a 11racti ve, It's embarassing, no t to mentio n bitter wind of a solar flare can blow out manufacturing p lanetary su nshades (to expensive, to be shipped back. (If you don't their candles. compensate for waste hea t) or illiminators like isola tion, wait till the second or third (lo ward orr an ice age) may be the requisite group goes up. By then Lhe discoLhequc skills. You are just going to have 10 keep up on developments. ..That's Lazcrus Long Quotient. sec page or course, if it takes 50 years, and no 265 - page 248 paperback - in T ime longevi ty breakthro ughs arc made, about •sec "Far Out Crime," L-5 News, Sept. Enough for Love by L-5 Director Robcn all we can do is save up to buy a retirement 1978 A. Heinlein. Govemment Rip-Off? Were the 1978 Solar Energy Policy Forums merely misrepresentations that swindled taxpayers out of millions of dollars? Why was testimony concerning SPS ignored zn the government summaries of the forums? Why the huge discrepencies in the attendance reported in government statistics and attendance counted by eyewitnesses? Why did the "broad spectrum" of public opinion reported by the government turn out to mainly include those who favor decentralization and "do-it-yourself" renewable energy systems? By ] ennifer Atkins On Sun Day. May 3. 1978. Pn:sident mailing lists. DOE used lists provided by a conmw1 10 provide a id to the· regional Caner announced a Domcstit Policy the National Solar I lcating and Cooling DOE offices in the form of rl'commcnding Rl'\'ic:w of Solar Energy.