Space Solutions to Terrestrial Problems

Most people intuitively assume and fundamentally believe that terrestrial problems must have terrestrial solutions. This is likely due to a lack of understanding about our interconnectedness and interdependence with the rest of the cosmos. As a terrestrially evolved organism, it is in our genes to adapt to our immediate environment as we have over millions of years.

Only recently have we begun to become aware of how celestial events affect our lives. We now know that such events have been critically important to the evolution of life on Earth. Impacts of comets and asteroids most likely provided a young Earth with the necessary water and perhaps even the necessary genetic materials for life to appear. Subsequent impacts are believed to have resulted in mass extinctions of life at various times in the history of our planet. The cycles of the Sun have resulted in a number of cold periods or ice-ages where life had to struggle to survive and numerous warm periods where life has blossomed and spread. The Sun’s energy that reaches the Earth’s surface warms the planet, drives the hydrologic cycle and is the primary source of energy for the climate system which keeps Earth suitable for life. Solar activity which modulates the influx of galactic cosmic rays (high-speed particles that strike the Earth from space), has been shown to have a direct influence on cloud formation and has been correlated with warmer periods during high solar activity and cooling periods during low levels of solar activity. The Moon’s gravitational influence on the Earth produces the ocean tides which impacts the ecosystems, influences the dynamics of plate tectonics which creates a unique continent/ocean duality on our planet and provides spin/axis and rotation stabilization without which life may not have evolved and life on the surface of Earth would be impossible.

Beginning on October 4, 1957 with the launch of the first artificial satellite Sputnik 1, humanity has continuously expanded the physical dimensions of its home planet by placing artificial satellites in Earth orbit. Since then about 8,100 satellites from more than 40 countries have been launched. and , as of 2018, some 4,900 satellites are still in orbit – some remaining permanently.These activities beyond the atmosphere have effectively expanded the physical territory of planet Earth from its solid dimensions of 12,756 kilometers to a diameter of approximately 84,328 kilometers which encompasses that of geosynchronous orbit (GEO). Consequently, human civilization has become increasingly dependent on these numerous technological assets located in space and removing them would pose dire consequences to the functioning of our complex technological society.

Thus, a new perception of our planet is required to comprehend the cosmic dimensions of our planet which is significantly larger than the planet defined by its atmosphere that most people envision. Earth’s gravitational influence extends 1.5 million kilometers in all directions from its center where it tangentially intersects with the gravitational influence of the Sun. This Sphere of Influence (SOI) of the Earth has 13 million times the volume of the physical Earth and through it, passes more than 55,000 times the amount of solar power which is available on the surface of the planet. In addition to energy, within this sphere of 3 million kilometers are enormous amounts of other resources, including the Moon which has a surface comparable to the continent of Africa and occasional passing asteroids. This new perception of our planet  is called Greater Earth.

For over 60 years the human species has been slowly and surely expanding its civilization into the territory of Greater Earth. It has visited the Moon several times and has sent and continues to send various space probes to explore our closest celestial neighbor. This region is referred to cislunar space and plans for a Moon Village and/or a Lunar Gateway are currently being discussed by various space agencies. A number of countries have recently landed probes and rovers on the Moon. A few space companies are developing plans to mine and harvest near Earth asteroids or capture one when it passes. Several countries have initiated Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) programs to harvest sunlight and transmit it to Earth and thus supplying future generations with an inexhaustible supply of clean solar energy. Geolunar space extends out to the outer boundary of Greater Earth where a number of scientific spacecraft have been parked in stable positions called the Lagrange or Liberation points L1 and L2 in the Earth-Sun system. These spacecraft are observing the deep cosmos and our planet and it climate as well.

Within the boundaries of Greater Earth our species will find the necessary room, resources and opportunities that it will need to survive and prosper in the current millennium. As it has throughout its history, humanity must again refine its perception of the home planet in order to recognize and embrace an awareness of a greater, richer and more sustainable Earth. To do so, its next step will be to exercise its fullest capabilities to occupy and enjoy this new territory. Undertaken responsibility and consequently, the severe pressures and stresses facing our civilization may be mitigated which may in turn lead to eventually achieving worldwide security, prosperity and ecological balance.

Furthermore, if one believes that economic and technological development are necessary preconditions for peace and prosperity, then one has to arrive at the conclusion that significant resources are necessary (a.) to fuel development, and (b.) to reduce tension. This tension-reducing potential is perhaps the greatest contribution to eventual peace and security on Earth. Thus, humanity’s future on the surface of Earth is irrevocably connected to its expanding activities into the region of Greater Earth and beyond.

The list below categorizes a number of problems, issues and challenges currently confronting human civilization and itemizes possible corresponding solutions that can be found through the utilization of resources available in the region Greater Earth. Many of these are issues are obviously interconnected and mutually beneficial.

Social and Psychological Aspects

1. Aggressive human tendencies will be redirected to conquering the space frontier
2. Transitioning the skills, knowledge and experience of war industries into the new space industries – thus transforming the Military Industrial Complex into the Space Industrial Complex
3. Providing humanity with an optimistic future of hope, peace and prosperity.

War and Geopolitical Conflict

1. International cooperation and collaboration instead of competition and conflict
2. Harnessing the infinite extraterrestrial resources for use on Earth will negate the motives and rational for the perpetual geopolitical conflicts over control and exploitation and diminishing and finite terrestrial resources
3. The actuality of positive economic growth will reduce the social and cultural frictions and yield capabilities to tackle critical issues in other domains

Energy Needs

1. Meeting all of humanity’s future energy needs with an plentiful and inexhaustible supply of clean CO₂ neutral energy
2. Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) generators either in orbit or on the Moon
3. Helium-3 mined on the Moon for fusion reactors on Earth

Climate Change / Mitigation & Control

1. SBSP replaces humanity’s dependence on fossil fuel energy sources and therefore eliminates the production of CO₂ for energy purposes
2. Parasols (Sun Shields) Shields located at the Lagrange (L1)  point can reduce flux towards Earth and permit cooling of the planet’s atmosphere. Note: this geoengineering solution is continuously controllable and, as its elements are located outside the biosphere without any direct interaction; if necessary, it could be modulated or moved away in a short time
3. In the case of Global Cooling leading to a new Ice Age: Solar Power Satellites & Space Mirrors could be directed to raise the surface temperature of specific regions such as cities.
4. In both warming and cooling hypothesis, Solar Power Satellites, Parasols & Space Mirrors represent productive investments, in that they not only provide mitigation devices, but that their development and realization further support – or even create – an extended infrastructure together with operational capabilities that can serve, e.g., environmental remediation and developmental projects

Environmental Considerations

1. Ground transportation: electric & hydrogen fueled vehicles powered by energy from space
2. Scaling back terrestrial power plants will increase availability of water; furthermore, water desalination can be powered by energy from space (with resulting brines may serve as feedstock for co-located extractive facilities)
3. Some polluting industries can be moved into space, helping the biosphere to recover
4. Sufficient clean energy will be available to address other environmental issues
5. Knowledge gained by creating sustainable artificial bio-environments off Earth can contribute to solving some of Earth’s environmental problems

Resource Depletion

1. Energy: Space-Based Solar Power and eventually Helium-3 would replace terrestrial energy sources such as fossil fuels, nuclear power, terrestrial solar photovoltaics and wind farms
2. The lunar regolith is considered a source of Helium-3
3. Silicon on the Moon for the production of solar cells for power generation and giving oxygen as a secondary by-product
4. Metals for industrial purposes and construction are found in the lunar regolith such as Iron, Aluminum, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, and Titanium
5. Platinum Group Metals (PGM) on the asteroids and the Moon that are necessary for many industrial products especially for the production of hydrogen fuel cells
6. Water on the Moon is essential for human outposts and for rocket fuel production
7. Over 16,000 near-Earth asteroids that share a similar orbit to Earth which contain the essential resources that make it possible to fuel and sustain life in space. (Water, light elements and PGMs being the main objectives as well as Carbon for lunar processes)

Economic Growth

1. Energy is the largest market on Earth.
2. An inexhaustible supply of solar power from space would drive and sustain economic development for generations to come
3. Space tourism, space mining and space power industries would create millions of qualified and productive new jobs
4. New net wealth creation through expanding economies in Greater Earth
5. Extra-terrestrially-based, commodity-backed currencies
6. Ample opportunities for entrepreneurs and new markets
7. Transitioning the skills, knowledge and experience of the war industries into the new space industries
8. Importing resource wealth from space instead of depleting the remaining resource wealth of Earth
9. Rising prosperity would automatically have a positive influence on population pressures
10. A new territory for human endeavors leading to new knowledge, skills and technologies
11. An industrial infrastructure in Greater Earth would be a stepping stone to expanding human civilization throughout the Solar System creating exponential economies

Planetary Protection

1. SBSP systems could mitigate Global Warming or Global Cooling
2. An industrial infrastructure beyond Earth’s atmosphere will help provide a defense from possible impacts by asteroids and comets
3. Establishing off Earth outposts and repositories for terrestrial life

Society and Culture

1. Renewed hope about the future and an increased sense of human purpose
2. Spontaneous and authentic cooperation and collaboration among peoples and nations
3. The real possibility of creating an optimistic and prosperous future for the next generations
4. Excitement, adventure, opportunity and inspiration
5. A new cultural dimension for the arts, literature and music
6. Preserving and perpetuating human civilization
7. Renewed reverence for all life on Earth
8. The ultimate survival of humanity and of all terrestrial life
9. Enabling humanity to become a spacefaring species

** The first mention of the Greater Earth concept was in an article by Elisa and Kevin Griffith that appeared in Space News in March, 1994. The concept was expanded upon by a group of space enthusiasts during an online group discussion in the late 1990’s which resulted in the Greater Earth Manifesto. It is currently being refined and further developed by Arthur Woods and Marco C. Bernasconi as a part of their Space Option Studies.