Ways to get the next gen into space travel?

[ldyaidan]

I had an idea similar to this. I'd like to see the people we recognize, and associate with space doing these commercials, put on billboards, etc. For most people, when they think of space, they thing of StarTrek, Firefly, BSG...etc. Put this to work for us. The different space organizations/companies can use a percentage of their PR budget, hire an advertising agency to do a space advocacy campaign, that includes all the different contributors. Space needs to become something that everyone expects, and sees in front of them on a daily basis.<br /><br />Contributers would be highlighted in the different commercials, but it would have one overall theme. By having one agency doing the campaign, we would be able to do a lot more than what any one company/group could do. (EG: Patrick Stewart could do a 60 second commercial encouraging people to support space, from inside a Bigelow inflatable, while on another commercial we see Nathan Fillion from Firefly encouraging education in science and technology in a 60 second spot showing the progress on Ares..but, both would show the "Embrace Space" (or whatever) logo...<br /><br />Rae

 

[halman]

gawin,<br /><br />Right now, we need to focus on where we are going, not on how we are going to get there. Space launches have become mundane, and rockets are rockets. Show people the Moon, places that we have been, places that we are going to go, tell them what we have found, and what we hope to find. Talk about how mining on the Moon could supply orbital factories. Describe the 'Lunatron', the magnetic catapult that could sling payloads off of the Moon. Explain how there is so little gravity on the Moon that people could fly by using mechanical aids, such as skybikes or artificial wings. Talk about using the Sun for power, about digging in to protect the people from radiation, meteors, and temperature extremes.<br /><br />Someone ought to write a Sim City type of program, which requires solar panels, energy storage, food production, water recycling, etcetera, and more capacity to allow growth must be built in, so that there is a safety margin of some kind. As the base becomes larger, more options become available, as far as recreation, housing, transport, etcetera. Have pressure drops, black outs, communication losses, and other events that have to be coped with.<br /><br />Or, develop a 'Lunar Rover' program, which allows the player to drive over the Moon's surface, with computer generated graphics showing the view. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> The secret to peace of mind is a short attention span. </div>

 

[ldyaidan]

Great idea! I'd say have a contest in the schools to come up with the slogan... Could even have art/essay contests to publicize the upcoming event. Get the kids involved in making the tour a success..Maybe even set up local carnivals with a space based theme to be going on as part of the event. These might also help pay for the project...<br /><br />Rae

 

[mithridates]

Yeah, that first one sounds good. It could be like the Sims where you can go the cheap route or pay more money up front, but with more expensive equipment you get a smaller station because there's less money to spend there. The cheap route would involve exercise bikes inside, whereas the most expensive one would be a spinning torus-like thing with artificial gravity to keep people healthy. If there's nothing to do then the people start to go insane, and if you don't spend enough on science you begin to lose funding because people back home start to complain about the lack of results for the money that's being spent. You could also cooperate with private companies to a certain extent but too much of that and you start to cooperate with companies that don't really know what they're doing and eventually you might get a cheap part that ruptures and causes a huge problem...that game sounds great. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>----- </p><p>http://mithridates.blogspot.com</p> </div>

 

[dreada5]

Obviously, getting the next gen interested rivals, actually completing the ISS and building CEV hardware - in terms of priorities. Since the next gen are the ones who will pay for it all.<br /><br />With that in mind NASA should be spending hundreds of millions in PR to excite the next gen now - but since such budgets aren't possible. NASA should make sure every dollar counts. To be honest, I don't think they're doing a bad job at the moment. But if they want to do more they have to sell what teenagers think is "COOL" about NASA and space! So ask them and then use:-<br /><br /><br /><b>1. Advertisement! </b><br />Adverstise VSE solar system destinations look they did in the movie "Total Recall", Advertise VSE astronauts (as cool off-worlders), Advertise cool VSE spaceships (as star trekky)! On tv, on cinema trailers, on top 10 websites such as youtube, cnet, gamezone, mtv, on billboards<br /><br /><b>2. Use Hollywood! </b><br />What Hollywood show in movies ie. cool space stuff is what the public expect from NASA.<br /><br /><b>3. Make space part of the curriculum.</b><br />NASA should pay annually to bring schools from across the nation to visit its "cool" hardware facilities eg. KSC and vice versa send their cool scientist/astronauts to the schools.<br /><br />

 

[baktothemoon]

Send them to Space Camp like me, that will awaken any little astronaut inside of the next gen.

 

[j05h]

<i>> 1. Advertisement!</i><br /><br />NASA itself is extremely limited in what it can do for advertising. Contractors, media companies and entrepreneurs don't have those limits. The part of the "cool" factor that NASA is missing is that you (as a prospective youth) never get the chance to fly. It doesn't matter how much adornment you give the astronaut corp, NASA isn't flying other people into space. This is why young people (and others) are so excited about space tourism - the chance exists for you to go into space personally. <br /><br /><i>2. Use Hollywood! </i><br /><br />Not a bad idea, if they can stay away from Shuttles-with-lasers and aliens. A hard-SF Mars settlement movie would be cool. The actions NASA performs are largely non-photogenic - launch is about the only exciting thing they do. Shuttle/soyuz dockings are amazing but slow - they aren't edge-of-the-seat events for most peeps. If you want good space media (of real events), it needs to be approached from a different angle. A good example of this is the amount of excitement Anousheh Ansari created in her Soyuz flight. <br /><br /><i>> 3. Make space part of the curriculum. </i><br /><br />Already is. There is a ton of educational material on NASA websites, there is Space Camp and plenty of people available to visit schools. <br /><br />You want to know how to get kids and teenagers interested in space? It's not ad campaigns or special effects, it is introducing them to a new frontier that they can live in, adventure upon and make money from. It's showing them that Space is a place, not a program. <br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[ldyaidan]

My son is actually planning to get into video game design in college (he just graduates from HS this year). I've already been trying to get him to start thinking of a multiplayer online game to this end...I'm thinking that they build a character, that gets a one way ticket to the newly build lunar colony, and a little cash. They can get involved in mining, exploration, etc...maybe even save up enough to buy their own ship. Then they could start exploring space, hauling cargo, possibly even start the new Mars colony. The game would be designed to use as much near future tech as possible, and to expand to other parts of the solar system as players develop the existing areas... <br /><br /><br />Rae

 

[MeteorWayne]

Sounds like a great idea! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[radarredux]

> <i><font color="yellow">we are VERY interested in spaceflight. What we no longer have is an interest in NASA</font>/i><br /><br />Greg Klerkx's "Lost in Space: The Fall of NASA and the Dream of a New Space Age" begins with a story of the author visiting a friend with a six year old son who had space posters all over his room:<br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>I asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up.<br />"Maybe computers" was his reply.<br />Dismayed, I asked him about being an astronaut. He pursed hs lips and shook his head. Unlike me at age six, he had a very clear concept of what astronauts do these days: "They fly up in the shuttle and fix stuff." His lack of further comment told me that this didn't seem like much of a career to aspire to when stacked up against the wild, wired world of computers.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />I believe the solution to get the youth excited about manned exploration in space is to change the agenda away from LEO-centric activities that are relatively similar to what has gone on for the last decade or more. In other words, gimmicks (TV shows, games, media spin, etc.) won't be very effective until the reality of the situation changes.<br /><br />Now, to be fair to NASA, the plan to change the agenda and move beyond LEO is already baked into the cake, but that won't happen for about a decade. So another generation of kids is probably lost (unless the private efforts excites them).</i>

 

[radarredux]

> <i><font color="yellow">In other words, gimmicks (TV shows, games, media spin, etc.) won't be very effective until the reality of the situation changes.</font>/i><br /><br />I don't want to sound too down on this point. I still think the most effective strategy is to actually be doing something that excites people; however, that doesn't mean people can't attempt to make the best of the current situation.<br /><br />For example,<ul><li>When the LRO beams back highly detailed images from the surface of the Moon, I would love to a see a "flight simulator" that woud let me fly around the surface of the Moon.<br /><li>I would love to see small versions of the Lunar Lander competitions for high school students (e.g., small 1-10 pound rockets tale off, move horizontally, and then land at a location).<br /><li>An equivalent version of Lego's MindStorm for rockets would be really cool. The computer could be part of the small lunar lander challenges mentioned above.<br /><li>NSF sponsor microgravity experiments for school children that would fly on the emerging suborbital rocket business (double points -- help children and help the nascent private space enterprise).<br /><li>NASA land relatively small, inexpensive rovers on a number of locations on the Moon, and, after an initial exploration period controlled by NASA scientists, allow students to plot courses and drive the landers for short period of time.<br /><li>Develop SimMoon where kids can design futuristic lunar outposts, settlements, and eventually cities, and give it away to school children for free (like the Army does for "America's Army").<br /></li></li></li></li></li></li></ul></i>

 

[willpittenger]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p><li> NASA land relatively small, inexpensive rovers on a number of locations on the Moon, and, after an initial exploration period controlled by NASA scientists, allow students to plot courses and drive the landers for short period of time.<li> Develop SimMoon where kids can design futuristic lunar outposts, settlements, and eventually cities, and give it away to school children for free (like the Army does for "America's Army").<p><hr /></p></li></li></p></blockquote><br />I should note that when the MERs were launched, JPL had links to various sites that had rovers you could drive in a simulated Martian environment. As I understood it, once client-side app or browser plugin could control any compatible rover. You could even build your own rover and let others control it.<br /><br />The important thing that you suggested above (perhaps without even realizing it) would be to let the "SimMoon" program control the actual rover. One stop shopping. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[radarredux]

> <i><font color="yellow">What should be the target audience of these efforts? the kids that already are into science or all kids. what would the purpose be, to enlarge the pool of future engineers or simply to increase the appeal of space activities for young people.</font>/i><br /><br />I think (1) drive kids already interested in science towards something related to space, and (2) drive kids not interested in science into science.<br /><br />(1) is about helping NASA and the space economy. Almost every school-aged child today will be a voter by the time NASA finally leaves LEO around 2018 (kind of a scary thought by itself), and NASA should want them to vote for leaders who are supportive of the space program. Likewise, NASA and the space industry in general needs a healthy supply of scientists and engineers graduating with various college degrees (BS, MS, PhD) over the next 12-14 years in order to build a long-term presence beyond LEO.<br /><br />(2) is about the general economic and security well-being of the United States. There have been plenty of reports over the last several years warning that America is failing to produce enough scientists and engineers, and that this failure will have dire consequences down the road.</i>

 

[no_way]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>why not show the future, then. albeit without aliens, warp drives and interstellar spaceships. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />..and without government employees in tightsuits.<br /><br />A TV-series based on Ben Bova novels or in a similar setting would be pretty interesting ( just with better characters and scripting than Bova usually manages )<br />I.e. near future setting, where humanity has just made their first real steps into cosmos. <br />Pushed by profit motives, employed by corporations, rich filantropists going because of their eccentric ideals of establishing new settlements off earth etc.<br />Lots of stuff could be written up, lots of parallels could be borrowed from early aviation history and pioneering days of wild west.

 

[dreada5]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>2. Use Hollywood! <br /><br />Not a bad idea, if they can stay away from Shuttles-with-lasers and aliens. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Why not?! I know nothing gets on mature space fans nerves than bad science, but for the sake of getting kids excited about space, skies the limit "Armageddon film" included! (some of the LEO scenes in that were pretty dire!) <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[dreada5]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>.and without government employees in tightsuits. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Personally I think astronaut's blue jumpsuits could do with a bit of a more futuristic redesign by some top fashion designer... not skin-tight, but just something a bit more "dressy", bit more stylistic. Perhaps something a bit more star-trekky. After all these guys do work in OUTER SPACE!!! Look how hollywood make marines, soldiers, pilots etc look <b>"COOL"</b> in their gear. <br /><br /><br />(ps. shuttle orange suits aren't bad though)

 

[j05h]

<i>> Why not?! I know nothing gets on mature space fans nerves than bad science, but for the sake of getting kids excited about space, skies the limit "Armageddon film" included! (some of the LEO scenes in that were pretty dire!)</i><br /><br />If that's the case, Hollywood is already doing the job - and it's not working!! Hollywood produces plenty of science fiction, it gets plenty of attention but is not creating more scientists or engineers. I can count the hard-science films produced in the last 50 years on one hand. The point of this sub-thread is that more scientifically literate media will create incentives for young people. More aliens and laser-shuttles are counterproductive to this - how many times have you read/heard a child get bummed out when they learn that there is no warp drive or alien invaders? We need to show them the exciting, inspirational parts of space development so they will carry on.<br /><br />josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[radarredux]

> <i><font color="yellow">If that's the case, Hollywood is already doing the job - and it's not working!!</font>/i><br /><br />I completely agree.<br /><br /> /> <i><font color="yellow">We need to show them the exciting, inspirational parts of pace development so they will carry on.</font>/i><br /><br />The problem: What are those inspirational parts? Or more precisely, what are that parts that are inspirational to a substantial portion of the youth?<br /><br />On a different point: Are today's science teachers up to the challenge? Have they developed the skills to keep the attention of the kids, especially in today's fast-paced hyper-connected environment that the kids move in? Do the teachers have the technical skills to build and teach about different issues related to space? Do the teachers have the resources to keep the kids excited? I don't think a beat up old textbook and a chalkboard will suffice.</i></i>

 

[dreada5]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>If that's the case, Hollywood is already doing the job - and it's not working!!<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Yes, Hollwood is already doing this, but movies are only part of the requirement. It contributes and is not necessarily counter-productive.<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p> More aliens and laser-shuttles are counterproductive to this. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />I disagree. If you take hollywood space movies out of the equation, you take SPACE out of the spotlight and then you'll find yourself with a job an order of magnitude more difficult in putting space back on kid's and the nation's agenda.<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p> how many times have you read/heard a child get bummed out when they learn that there is no warp drive or alien invaders? We need to show them the exciting, inspirational parts of space development so they will carry on. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />I believe IT IS because warp drives, shuttle with lasers do not exist in real life, that the young become involved in the space industry... to make it a reality!<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>We need to show them the exciting, inspirational parts of space development so they will carry on. <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Indeed. But what grown-ups considering exciting, is very evidently, not always exciting to kids/teenagers. However I do believe getting the heck out of LEO is a good move from NASA/Bush. The next good move would be to make those astronauts into virtual celebrities and ensure those lunar, martian and neo missions have as much excitement/fun factor (from a kid's perspective) in them as they do science.

 

[j05h]

<i>> I completely agree. </i><br /><br />The problem is that Hollywood's success leads to more people going into media production. Instead of engineers and scientists it produces animators (me), camera operators (my cousin), designers, producers and other content-creators. It's not a bad thing, Content is the USA's strongest product by far. It does impact our technical edge, though. <br /><br />The short-term solution is to recruit the best minds from around the world.<br /><br /><i>> The problem: What are those inspirational parts? Or more precisely, what are that parts that are inspirational to a substantial portion of the youth?</i><br /><br />The inspirational parts, from my POV as an adult, seeing what the younger set is into: Hubble images, other planetary science images/vid, X Prize, space tourists, Earth sciences/images, computer simulation, TXTing then someplace way down the line is "astronaut". The quote above from Lost in Space is right to the point. That's a great book, too.<br /><br /><i>> On a different point: Are today's science teachers up to the challenge?</i><br /><br />Probably not - but that is because it isn't "just" a science issue. There are economics and other factors that they aren't prepared to answer. "Mr Smith, how do I earn $20million to fly like Anousheh?" isn't really for science class. The basics like orbital mechanics, space physics and bio, etc haven't changed but I'm not sure if they get taught in anything but maybe AP classes. You see it here on SDC often, the lack of basic understanding, like the fact that you can't just "drift" to the moon from LEO, or that wormholes aren't a proven, engineerable thing. There is plenty of free material for teaching space, but that still requires a venue. <br /><br />Luckily, Americans are just as productive and technical by age 30 as any other industrial people. We just have to be prepared to hire specialists from anywhere.<br /><br />Josh <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[no_way]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>> We need to show them the exciting, inspirational parts of pace development so they will carry on.<br /><br />The problem: What are those inspirational parts? Or more precisely, what are that parts that are inspirational to a substantial portion of the youth?<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />I already pointed to this before, but i say again: becoming a hero, adventurer or a rich man themselves has always been popular with youth.<br />Thus, give them the vision that _THEY_ get to go and do this stuff. In near future, "decades from now" wont work.<br /><br />Simple example:<br />Hey kid, wanna fly rockets ? Wanna fly bigger rockets that go up real high ? Wanna become a rocketship pilot or run your own spaceline in a few years ? Want to become a asteroid golddigger or build powerplants on moon ? <br /><br />Current NASA version:<br />Wanna watch couple of our guys in spacesuits place another flag on moon on TV, just like they did almost 40 years ago ? That is, if our budget isnt cut by evil politikkans. It looks almost as good as your newfangled computer games, no really it does.<br />

 

[dreada5]

LOL!! Good point! <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />Space Tourism has an easier job than NASA.

 

[Swampcat]

<font color="yellow">"Hey kid, wanna fly rockets ?"</font><br /><br />Ah, yes. Fly rockets. <br /><br />Try getting kids interested in building model rockets and flying them. It's not necessary to know a lot of rocket science or orbital mechanics to build and fly small rockets, but for most kids it's a lot of fun (all that smoke, fire and noise is a sure hook) and can lead to them wanting to learn more about what makes them work.<br /><br />This is something hands-on that parents can do with their kids. There are many schools with rocket clubs. If your school doesn't have one, start one.<br /><br />Contact the National Association of Rocketry and/or the Tripoli Rocketry Association for more information. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>

 

[no_way]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Try getting kids interested in building model rockets and flying them.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />Yes but you have to make it very clear for them, that Estes 24mm is not the limit.<br />I have seen comments from seasoned high-power rocketeers along the lines /> suborbital manned flights ? Thats just bollocks, rockets are too dangerous for that, only NASA could do this.<br />Problem with mindsets and common perceptions.

 

[radarredux]

> <i><font color="yellow">The inspirational parts, from my POV as an adult, seeing what the younger set is into: Hubble images</font>/i><br /><br />Hmm... I find it interesting that you NASA's manned space program is so far down the list. But some of the points fired off some additional thoughts.<br /><br />Kids today are into social networking and user generated content (MySpace, Digg, etc.), so maybe some moderate-cost social network ideas might work. For example, imagine the following: sell a fairly low cost telescope with automated tracking capabilities, integrate a digital camera, use WiFi to link the telescope and camera to the home computer in the den, and then use the Internet to link all these computers/telescopes together. There must be a few interesting possibilities that can come of this?<br /><br />One potential experiment: track the movement of the shadow across the Moon. With small computers around the globe linked up, the Moon would always be in someone's field of view. Over a ~3 week period a complete cycle of the shadow moving across the surface (perhaps including some fairly detailed features) could be stitched together from students' computers across the globe. Make global friends while exploring space!</i>