Introduction -- The cold war and the outer space treaty -- The 1990s : a false dawn for private interests in space -- A $20 million ticket -- NASA : from contractor to client -- Money and politics -- Selfie sticks in space -- A cluttered universe -- The newcomers -- Floating factories -- The human tardigrade -- The perils and profits of mining the moon -- Mars and back -- Conclusion.
Summary:
"This in-depth work of reportage dares to ask what's at stake in privatizing outer space Earth is in trouble--so dramatically that we're now scrambling to explore space for valuable resources and a home for permanent colonization. With the era of NASA's dominance now behind us, the private sector is winning this new space race. But if humans and their private wealth have made such a mess of Earth, who can say we won't do the same in space? In The Consequential Frontier, business and technology journalist Peter Ward is raising this vital question before it's too late. Interviewing tech CEOs, inventors, scientists, lobbyists, politicians, and future civilian astronauts, Ward sheds light on a whole industry beyond headline-grabbing rocket billionaires like Bezos and Musk, and introduces the new generation of activists trying to keep it from rushing recklessly into the cosmos. With optimism for what humans might accomplish in space if we could leave our tendency toward deregulation, inequality, and environmental destruction behind, Ward shows just how much cooperation it will take to protect our universal resource and how beneficial it could be for all of us"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.