MARTIN J DOUGHERTY
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Space Exploration Articles

This section contains a number of articles I wrote on space exploration about 20 years ago. There have been developments and missions since, of course, and I might at some point get around to updating the articles. But for now I'm putting them up so that they aren't lost.

Do We Need Space?

Humans are explorers. We’ve walked, driven, ridden, climbed, sailed, and flown over just about the whole of Planet Earth. Even the deepest oceans are being explored. What happens when we run out of frontiers? Will humanity just settle back into a cultural rocking-chair and dream about past days?

To avoid stagnation we need new mysteries, new challenges, new places to explore and new difficulties to overcome in order to get there. Space offers limitless possibilities for exploration and progress.

Besides, humanity hasn’t exactly been doing Planet Earth a lot of good lately. Offworld exploitation offers us the chance to replace our planet’s dwindling resources. Asteroid mining for metals, petrochemical extraction from gas giant atmospheres, zero-g precision industry... the business and industrial opportunities are there if anyone dares to take them. It might not be long before it becomes imperative to develop offworld industry.

And the spin-off technologies from space industry have already improved our lives. Each time scientists develop a new technology to meet some space-related challenge, we get the benefits in our homes, workplaces and environments.

Economically, scientifically, culturally and spiritually, we need the challenge and the opportunities presented by space exploration.

So yes, we need Space.

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  • Home
    • A Quick Guide to MJD
    • Credits Overview
    • Work Availability
  • My Work
    • My Writing Career
    • Mainstream Publishing >
      • Military History Books
      • Fiction
      • Martial Arts & Self-Defence Books >
        • Fight to Win
        • The Self Defence Manual
      • Armed Combat Books
      • Transportation Books
      • Childrens Books
      • Fencing and Martial Arts Books
    • Games Industry >
      • Avenger Enterprises
    • Defence and Security Industry
    • My Television Work
    • Other Work
  • Martial Arts and Fencing
    • My Martial Arts and Fencing Career
    • Fencing >
      • British Federation for Historical Swordplay (BFHS) >
        • BFHS Chief Assessor
        • IL1 Guidance for Candidates
        • IL 2-4 Work in Progresss
      • Smallsword Fencing
      • The Military and Duelling Sabre
      • Olympic, or 'Sport', Fencing
      • Fencing Photos
      • More Fencing Photos
    • MJD Musings >
      • Priority
      • Respect
      • Agendas and Misconceptions
      • Light Sabres, Sabre: Lite....
      • Coach Development in Martial Arts
      • HEMA: Martial Art or Sport?
      • Obstacles to Improvement
      • A Governing Body for HEMA?
      • Scottish HEMA Controversy
      • Grappling: Why Not?
      • Musings on Running a Class
      • Learning to Fence
  • The Society for the Study of Swordsmanship
    • Intoduction to the Class
    • SSS FAQ
    • SSS Equipment and Safety
    • SSS Ranks and Grades
    • SSS Weapons
  • Fiction, Articles and Other Scribblings
    • Short Fiction >
      • Holy Spirits
      • Grand Endeavour
      • Pandora's Box
      • Wheelman
      • Reactivation Clause
      • Although He May Be Poor
      • Into The Hands of God
    • Mancave Playbabes Articles >
      • Fencing Article
      • Edinburgh Article
      • Whisky Article
    • Space Exploration Articles >
      • Reaching Orbit
      • In Orbit
      • Exploration of the Solar System
      • Space Stations
      • Space Stations - White Elephants in the Sky?
  • Avenger Enterprises
    • Starfarers Gazette 0-1
    • Starfarers Gazette 2
    • Starfarers Gazette 3
    • Starfarers Gazette 4
  • My Life and Related Misadventures
    • Perthshire
    • Other Photos
    • Warkworth Castle
    • More Photos
  • Other Stuff
    • Martial Arts & Self-Defence >
      • Combat Ju-Jitsu
      • Self-Defence
      • Nihon Tai-Jitsu
      • Self Defence and the Law
      • The Possibility of Violence
      • Grappling and Groundfighting
      • Anatomy of a Streetfight
    • News, Updates and... Stuff.
    • Conventions, Events and Seminars >
      • Smallsword Symposium
      • Smallsword Symposium 2015
      • SWASH
      • BFHS Spring and Autumn Exchange
    • Northumbria Police: Arrogant, High-Handed and Reckless >
      • Experiences with Northumbria Police
      • Questions But No Answers
      • Concerns About PSD