Recently, humanity entered on the threshold of the third millennium.What awaits us in the future?Surely there are many problems that require binding decisions.According to forecasts of scientists, in 2050 the world's population will reach 11 billion figure. Man.And 94% of the increase will be in developing countries, and only 6% in industrialized countries.In addition, scientists have learned how to slow the aging process, which significantly increases the lifespan.
This leads to a new problem - shortage of food.Currently about half a billion people are starving.For this reason, die each year around 50 million.In order to feed 11 billion, will have a 10-fold increase in the production of food.In addition, the energy required for the life of all these people.This leads to an increase in the production of fuel and raw materials.Will the planet is similar to the load?
And do not forget about the pollution of the environment.With the increase in the rate of production is not only depleted resources but also changing climate.Machinery, power plants emit carbon dioxide so that the greenhouse effect is not far off.With an increase in temperature of the Earth will start melting glaciers and rising water levels in the oceans.All this in the most adverse impact on people's lives.Even it can lead to disaster.
These problems will help solve space exploration.Think about it.There you can move the plants to explore Mars, the Moon, collect resources and energy.And everything will be like in the movies and on the pages of science fiction.
energy from space
Now 90% of the earth's energy is produced by burning fuel in the home furnaces, automobile engines and power station boilers.Every 20 years, energy consumption doubled.How much is enough natural resources to meet our needs?
For example, the same oil?According to forecasts of scientists, it will end after so many years, how much has the history of space exploration, that is, 50. Coal will last for 100 years, and gas by about 40. By the way, nuclear energy, too, refers to exhaustible sources.
Theoretically, the problem of finding alternative energy has been solved in the 30-ies of the last century, when the invented reaction of thermonuclear fusion.Unfortunately, it is still unmanageable.But even if we learn how to control it and get energy in unlimited quantities, it will lead to overheating of the planet and irreversible climate change.Is there a way out of this situation?
Three-dimensional industry
course, is space exploration.It is necessary to go from the "two-dimensional" industry "three-dimensional".That is, all energy-intensive manufacturing need to be transferred from the Earth's surface into space.But at the moment of doing so is economically disadvantageous.The cost of such energy will be 200 times higher than the electricity produced by the heat in the world.Plus huge cash injections will require the construction of large space stations.In general, you need to wait until mankind will take the following steps of space exploration, will be improved when the equipment and reduce the cost of building materials.
Hour sun
Throughout the history of the planet's people enjoyed the sunshine.However, the need for it is not only in the daytime.At night, he needed a lot longer: for the lighting of buildings, streets, fields during agricultural work (planting, harvesting), etc.And in the far north the sun does not appear in the sky for six months.Is it possible to increase the daylight hours?How realistic is the creation of an artificial sun?Today's advances in space exploration do this task is feasible.Suffice it to place in orbit a planet suitable tool to reflect light back to Earth.This intensity can be changed.
Who invented the reflector?
can say that the history of space exploration began in Germany with the idea of creating extraterrestrial reflectors, proposed by German engineer Hermann Oberth in 1929.Its further development can be traced to the work of the scientist Eric Kraft from the US.Now the Americans are closer than ever to the implementation of this project.
Structurally, the reflector is a frame on which is stretched a metallized polymer film that reflects radiation from the sun.The direction of the luminous flux will be carried out either by commands from Earth, or automatically at pre-set program.
The project
US make serious progress in the exploration of space and are very close to this project.Now US experts examined the possibility of placing in orbit respective satellites.They will be directly over North America.16 installed mirror-reflectors will extend daylight for 2 hours.Two reflectors are planning to send to Alaska, which will increase it by as much daylight for 3 hours.If you use a satellite-reflectors for the extension of the day in the big cities, it will provide them with high quality and shadowless lighting of streets, highways, buildings, which certainly is beneficial from an economic point of view.
Reflectors in Russia
For example, if the cover of the space of five cities of equal size Moscow, thanks to energy savings will pay back the costs in about 4-5 years.Moreover, the system satellites reflectors without any additional costs can switch to another group of cities.And how clear the air, if the energy will come not from chadyaschie power, but from outer space!The only obstacle to the realization of this project in our country - it is the lack of funding.Therefore, space exploration Russia comes not as fast as hoped.
Extraterrestrial plants
's been over 300 years since the discovery of E. Torricelli vacuum.It has played a huge role in the development of technology.After all, without understanding the physics of the vacuum it would be impossible to create any electronics or internal combustion engines.But all this belongs to the industry in the world.It is difficult to imagine what opportunities will the vacuum in such matters as space exploration.Why not make the galaxy to serve the people by building factories there?They will be in a totally different environment, in a vacuum, low-temperature, high-power sources of solar radiation and weightlessness.
It is difficult to realize the benefits of these factors, but it is safe to say that opens fantastic prospects and the topic "Space exploration by extraterrestrial plant construction" becomes relevant as ever.If you concentrate the sun's rays by a parabolic mirror, it is possible to weld parts made of titanium alloys, stainless steel and others. In the smelting of metals on Earth they fall impurities.A technique is increasingly necessary ultrapure materials.How to get them?You can "hang" the metal in a magnetic field.If its mass is small, then this box will keep it.The metal may be melted by passing therethrough a high frequency current.
in weightlessness can melt the materials and masses of all sizes.We do not need any form or crucibles for casting.There is also no need for subsequent grinding and polishing.A melt materials are either conventional or solar ovens.The vacuum can be carried out "cold welding": well stripped and fitted together to form the surface of the metal is very strong connection.
In terrestrial conditions can not be done without a large semiconductor crystals defects that reduce the quality of them made chips and devices.Because of weightlessness and vacuum can obtain crystals with the desired properties.
attempts to implement ideas
first steps in the implementation of these ideas have been made in the 80s, when the Soviet Union in space exploration was under way.In 1985, engineers launched a satellite into orbit.Two weeks later, he brought back to Earth samples of materials.These launches have become an annual tradition.
In the same year, the NGO "Salute" drafted "Technology".Planned construction of a spacecraft weighing 20 tons and 100 tons of plant weight.The unit supplied ballistic capsules, which should have been made to deliver products on Earth.The project was never realized.You may ask: why?This is a standard problem of space exploration - the lack of funding.It is relevant in our time.
Space
settlement in the early 20th century left fantastic story Tsiolkovsky "Beyond Earth".In it, he describes the first galactic settlements.Currently, when there is a certain progress in the exploration of space, you can take for the implementation of this fantastic project.
In 1974, a professor of physics at Princeton University, Gerard O'Neill was developed and published a project of colonization of the galaxy.He offered to place space settlements in the libration point (the place where the forces of attraction of the Sun, Moon and Earth balance each other).These towns all the time will be in one place.
O'Neill believes that in 2074, most people will move into space and will have unlimited food and energy resources.Earth will become a huge park, free from industry, where you can spend your vacation.
Model Colony O'Neill
peaceful space exploration Professor proposes to start with the construction of the model radius of 100 meters.This building can accommodate about 10 thousand people.The main objective of this settlement - the construction of the next model, which should be 10 times greater.The diameter of the colonies the following increases to 6-7 km, and the length is increased to 20.
in the scientific community around the project O'Neal still tense debate.The colonies offered their population density is about the same as in the cities of the earth.And this is quite a lot!Especially when you consider that over the weekend it is impossible to get out of town.The parks close very few people want to relax.It is hardly possible to compare the conditions of life on Earth.And in these confined spaces are affairs with psychological compatibility and thrust to change places?Do people want to live there?Would not space settlements seats spread of global disasters and conflicts?All these questions remain open.
Conclusion
In the depths of the solar system incorporated countless material and energy resources.Therefore, the development of human space must now be a priority.After all, the success obtained resources will serve the people.
While astronautics doing to their first steps.We can say that it goes the child, but in time he becomes an adult.The main problem of space exploration - it's not a lack of ideas, but a lack of funds.Required enormous material resources.But if you compare them with the costs for service, the amount is not so big.For example, the reduction of world military spending by 50% enable the next few years to go to Mars three expeditions.
In our time, humanity is imbued with the idea of the unity of the world and revise the priorities in the development.A space will be a symbol of cooperation.It is better to build factories on Mars and the moon, bringing these benefits to all people, what multiplies the already inflated the global nuclear capacity.There are people who argue that space exploration could wait.Typically, scientists respond to them: "Of course it can, because the universe will last forever, and here we are, unfortunately, no."
