Here is a representation of what a space station in 2001 was expected to look like:
This ring-shaped space station had a centrifugal gravity, artifical intelegence and room to spare.
This is the stylized vision of the technological advancements that were predicted:
While no one expects a film to dictate the reality of the future, Arthur C Clarke (the inventor of the geostationary orbit communications satellite) authored the story that the film was based on. He was not attempting to write some far-fetched tale of super-powers and fantasy. He was attempting to predict the possible problems that future reality might be faced with. Even while predicting the problems and pit-falls of the rapidly advancing technologies he still presumed that the human race would be able to create a streamlined, comfortable, productive enviornment outside of earths atmosphere.
This is the actual hunk of garbage cans that we ended up with.
This piece of junk looks like a floating trailer park. It is supposed to be the International Space Station, not the Fred Sanford Memorial Space Station. The TV antennaes on peoples roofs in 1974 looked frighteningly similar. I hope that the new space station does more than get fuzzy reception of 'Welcome Back Kotter' re-runs. Oscar the grouch had better accomadations.
The inside of this cluttered mess is closer to the apartment in the movie Pi than anywhere that you would expect high-level scientents to be preforming meaningful studies.
This is the spacious reality that our elite astronauts occupy:
And the twisted dementia that the obsessed charater in Pi devoloped:
It now makes sense that NASA was going to blast that crazy, diaper wearing, astronaut up there.
Hollywood-----------------------Reality
3 comments:
2001 was fiction. And Science Fiction at that.
Reality was never going to be that good. You have to bare in mind that fiction rarely takes into account the set backs and budget constraints of the real world.
Of course we don't have such luxuries in space as were shown in the book/film but we do on Earth: Video phones, drink pouches with straws, velcro, laptops, the internet, medical scanners, space shuttles docking with space stations, commercial orbiters, to name but a few - all are a reality.
Meanwhile we are returning to the moon to build a base there - a little behind schedule (according to the fiction) but we're about to do it none the less.
Look closer at the ISS. Sure it's not a beautiful ring shape but can't you see the ISS for what it is? The ISS is Earth's grandest example of international cooperation and accord. Fifteen nations worldwide - including Russia! - are all working together as never before for a common goal. Nations that barely spoke to one another - almost went to war against one another - now work together in harmony. That alone makes the ISS just as grand as any fictional fantasy.
The ring itself might well still yet come, especially now commercial companies such as Virgin are getting involved in Space (Remember the Pan Am orbiter docking sequence?) 2001 did not come in 2001 but it might not be so far off. Open you eyes and keep a close watch, because we live in an exciting time. The stuff of science fiction is happening right now all around us.
This WAS a humor blog. So much for that.
reality can be harsh, but in the words of Carl Sagan: "Small steps, Sparks."
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