
Rosetta: The ambition to turn science fiction into science fact - hamdal
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Rosetta/Rosetta_the_ambition_to_turn_science_fiction_into_science_fact
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compute_me
I'm excited to see that ESA appears to be experimenting with various means to
pull the broader public into their projects (like this video, or the super-
neat cartoons tailored towards a younger audience:
[http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2014/07/RosettaAreWe...](http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Videos/2014/07/RosettaAreWeThereYet_
--_Once_upon_a_time)). Perhaps we can someday have another big set of space
programs that enchant millions and drive young people to dream big; to become
the engineers and scientists that we need so dearly. It is hard to grasp how
much of an impact the Apollo program (and the paradoxically symbiotic
competing Soviet programs) had on a solid two generations of not only
Americans, but on people from all over the world.

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readerrrr
It currently produces 1-5 liters of water vapor per second and gases include:
carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane, methanol.

[http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2014/10/03/measuring-
comet-67pc...](http://blogs.esa.int/rosetta/2014/10/03/measuring-
comet-67pc-g/)

We could put a self sustaining base on it or on similar comets in the future.

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humanfromearth
Also the surface temperature seems to be -68.15C (avg) - typical Syberia, only
there is no atmosphere and sufficient gravity and magnetic field to protect
from radiation.

Otherwise it's fine.

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readerrrr
Sarcasm?

Nobody is going to walk on it naked. The conditions on the comet are amazing
compared to the ISS, which is currently supporting life.

The comet has everything you need, water, organic material, shielding from
radiation, decent size, raw material, energy.

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yongjik
That "magnetic field to protect from radiation" part is pretty important,
though. (ISS is inside the Earth's magnetic field.)

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readerrrr
All you need is a couple of meters of water or earth. The base would be inside
the comet at complete safety anyway, and detection can warn you to get inside
in case of increased sun activity.

It is really easy if you have just a little material:

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_protection#Shielding](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_protection#Shielding)

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ceejayoz
The short film is very much worth a watch, if folks are wondering.

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readerrrr
Good visuals, but the script is nonsense. They are really trying to invoke
that warm feeling inside. Unfortunately watching Littlefinger posing as a
deity, forced me to laugh. Using an unknown actor would sell it better.

( I'm not trying to be mean, that was just the impression I got. )

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_kst_
His character isn't a deity. I believe the background is that they're on an
alien planet some time in the future and are just beginning to terraform it.
They happen to be using "sufficiently advanced technology" (in the sense of
Clarke's third law).

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mortenjorck
Exactly. I’m pretty sure that’s how it’s intended to be read.

For what it’s worth, I thought the dialog was excellently written. A scene
like that more or less invites overwrought, ham-fisted lines but the writers
exercised some remarkable restraint (and Gillen and the newcomer match it with
their deliveries).

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michgancodes
I'm very much looking forward to the lander doing its thing. The photos will
be breathtaking!

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fit2rule
Indeed, the mind bounds ahead with such endeavors approaching - what don't we
just send a hundred micro-bots designed to harvest raw materials sufficiently
well enough to construct on-sight new micro-bots, designed to harvest raw
materials, and so on. Seems real easy, the more I think of it, to capture a
comet and do something with it. Like, within the next 100 years or so, 'easy',
that is - as in, well .. maybe getting easier and easier. Rockets and robots,
babies, its all we'll need to get there and do stuff.

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double0jimb0
That was a damn fantastic watch. NASA take note.

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Nux
Pretty darn awesome short film. Well done.

