Solar System Ambassadors, Lunar Questers, and more

by Guest Blogger Ken

Almost missed this one! There's an Announcement of Opportunity over at JPL to sign up for the Solar System Ambassador program.

This is a neat program begun in 1997 that trains people from around the U.S. in basic Solar system science, and then asks that those so trained, having earned the title of Ambassador, to go into their communities and perform at least four outreach events in the next year, and each year thereafter to maintain their status. Here in North Texas we've been able to provide opportunities for SSAs to meet that requirement through NSS-NT outreach events. It's a win-win situation.

SSAs are fed a steady supply of JPL and NASA produced presentation materials, such that "JPL missions exploring Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Asteroids, Comets, Earth, the Sun and the Universe now come together to expand the program's scope to the Solar System and beyond."

Acceptance of applications closes September 30th, so if you've been wondering how you can help bring space to your community here is a golden opportunity.

Another golden opportunity, also primarily for educators (of whatever stripe), is for Lunar Questers. NASA Ames is running a Lunar Research Station Design Challenge. It looks like there will be a tie-in with the MDRS as part of the proceedings. Registration looks like it also ends September 30th. Perhaps there's a Selenian Boondocker out there who is up to the challenge.

I also heard that the "Lunar Base Handbook" by Peter Eckart has a second edition coming out in the near future, so be sure to keep an eye open for that one. The first edition, published in 1999, is still one of what I consider the top references in the Lunar Library. It is one of the definitive works, how it can be better I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see.

While we're waiting, you might want to pick up a copy of "The Survival Imperative: Using Space to Protect Earth" by William E. Burrows. A few older readers may remember some of his prior works, such as "This New Ocean". I was lucky enough to see him speak at an NSS-NYC meeting back before I left for ISU. He spoke about the Alliance to Rescue Civilization, or ARC. This is a project that would put, in essence, a back-up hard drive of civilization on the Moon in event of global catastrophe, to hasten the return of civilization here on Earth afterwards. It's a simple and compelling idea. Which leads to my conjecture: How do we know there's not one up there already, say pre-Noachian?

The book would be a hard read for anyone prone to sensitivity and irrational fear. I'm only about a third of the way in and so far he has been laying out the many ways in which humanity could be done in. Not in any kind of fear-mongering way, but rather as a cold, rational laying out of the facts. His primary interest is big rocks from space, but he also explores all kinds of self-inflicted nastiness as well. The author has had access to a lot more resources than I, but everything he lays out jibes with what I know and I haven't found any faults. Even learned a few things.

It's not an easy work, but it is an important one. The intelligence that allows us to understand these risks also allows us to find ways to mitigate them. This can be an important part of why we step farther out into space, I can't wait to see how the author addresses this.