How to make a difference in space exploration as an individual
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Here's another good Reddit thread full of information that readers here would certainly find useful. It was started by a 26-year-old architect who has some skill in calculus and physics and a huge interest in space, and has decided he wants to spend the next 40 years of his life helping humanity become a spacefaring race and was looking for information on how best to do this as an individual. 220 comments later it has become quite the repository of information on startups and organizations (and some other things) related to space that are very welcoming of individuals that want to make a difference.
Here are some of them (more info can be found on the thread):
- Open Space Movement (OSM)
- Mach30 Foundation for Space Development
- Open Luna Foundation
- Collaborative Space Travel and Research Team (CSTART)
- DevelopSpace
- Copenhagen SubOrbitals
- A book called Gaiome
- Then of course there is the big list of private spaceflight companies on Wikipedia
- International Space Development Conference
My advice on the thread was in addition to this: run for political office as an independent and bring up the issue of space development and exploration. There is no need to win the seat, as simply being nominated and on the ballot is enough to spend the election season talking to people and being interviewed, so there really is no reason not to and it would make for a very stress-free campaign as well.