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Dana Stabenow's Reviews > The Future of Geography: How Power and Politics in Space Will Change Our World
The Future of Geography: How Power and Politics in Space Will Change Our World
by
by
I'm a big fan of Marshall's books on the influence of geography on our political decisions, and here he takes on a topic dear to my heart: the exploration and colonization and, oh yes, the militarization of space. It turns out there is a lot going on in low earth orbit, not to mention on the moon, the Lagrange points, and Mars, and by some unlikely actors like Israel and the UAE and half of Africa. Everyone has at least a token space program now. The US, Russia, China, India, and ESA, take note.
They all are, of course. Of 4900 satellites orbiting above us when his book went to print, 3,000 of them are US-made and controlled, but China is coming up fast on our back trail with 500 and Russia, having led the way with Sputnik, Gagarin, Tereshkova, and the first unmanned moon landing, is now concentrating its efforts on military applications. Space lasers, anyone? Already deployed on Earth. Those Insight Helicarriers in The Winter Soldier were inspired by true events.
In 2003 the senior command of the Russian Aerospace Forces had watched keenly as the US military sliced through Iraq's half-a-million-strong army using satellites to target troops, equipment and buildings precisely. By the time the US ground forces rolled in, Iraq's army was in no shape to resist...during the Second World War, 4,500 air sorties had been required to drop 9,000 bombs to destory a railway bridge...By the time of the invasion of Iraq, a single missile guided by satellite could do the job.
The scariest chapter of this book is Chapter 9, "Space Wars," in which Marshall posits various scenarios for Cuban Missile Crisis-level incidents precipitating not quite all out war.
Each time humanity has ventured into a new domain it has brought war with it...Given that technologically advanced powers now rely so much on space, the domain is central to modern military thinking...It is therefore a tremendous advantage for China to take out US space support prior to initiating a terrestrial military action that would be opposed by the USA.
The US, Russia, and China all now have the capability of knocking out each other's satellites by occluding their electronics or by running one vehicle smack into another. We've all already done it, accidentally (maybe) and deliberately (certainly).
NASA estimates there are more than 23,000 pieces of debris in orgit around Earth that are larger tha 10 centimetres in diameter (roughly the size of a grapefruit). There are another 500,000 sized between 1 and 10 centimetres (a tennis ball is about 7 centimetres) and in total, about 100 million bigger than 1 millimetre. Most pieces of debris may be small, but they are travelling at 25,000 km/h, which would be troubling if you came into contact with one. A 1-centimetre fragment travelling at that speed can create as much energy as a small car crashing into you, or your spaceship, at 40 km/h.
"Troubling." Heh.
Leave off imagining for a moment a huge solar flare knocking out all our satellites and consider the possibility that we do it to ourselves, leaving a huge cloud of orbiting debris from destroyed satellites, space stations (oh yes, the Chinese have one of those, too), and maybe one of Gerald K. O'Neill's habitats Jeff Bezos is planning to build. That cloud would preclude us from launching more, of anything. Maybe I shouldn't have given up my landline after all.
In the face of these dire possibilities, Marshall retains his optimism and his humor. He points out what space exploration has contributed to our quality of life thus far.
Computer science, telecommunications, microtechnology and solar power technology...Modern portable water purification systems...lighter breathing masks used by firefighters...heat-resistant clothing. Laptop computers, wireless headsets, LED lights and memory-foam mattresses? All can be traced back to the science of the Space Race...
The Lagrange points are car parks in space. We'll begin construction of permanently manned habitats on the moon by the end of this decade, even if it is driven by the prospect of mining essential elements in short (or shortening) supply on Earth. The 2020 Artemis Accords attempted to establish some sort of international law for future lunar colonization and exploitation, and are flawed (China and Russia didn't sign on) but at least a start. In the end he says
All the imagined and unimagined wonders are out there, in front of us, waiting to be discovered by Homo Spaciens.
A fascinating and enlightening read, highly recommended.
They all are, of course. Of 4900 satellites orbiting above us when his book went to print, 3,000 of them are US-made and controlled, but China is coming up fast on our back trail with 500 and Russia, having led the way with Sputnik, Gagarin, Tereshkova, and the first unmanned moon landing, is now concentrating its efforts on military applications. Space lasers, anyone? Already deployed on Earth. Those Insight Helicarriers in The Winter Soldier were inspired by true events.
In 2003 the senior command of the Russian Aerospace Forces had watched keenly as the US military sliced through Iraq's half-a-million-strong army using satellites to target troops, equipment and buildings precisely. By the time the US ground forces rolled in, Iraq's army was in no shape to resist...during the Second World War, 4,500 air sorties had been required to drop 9,000 bombs to destory a railway bridge...By the time of the invasion of Iraq, a single missile guided by satellite could do the job.
The scariest chapter of this book is Chapter 9, "Space Wars," in which Marshall posits various scenarios for Cuban Missile Crisis-level incidents precipitating not quite all out war.
Each time humanity has ventured into a new domain it has brought war with it...Given that technologically advanced powers now rely so much on space, the domain is central to modern military thinking...It is therefore a tremendous advantage for China to take out US space support prior to initiating a terrestrial military action that would be opposed by the USA.
The US, Russia, and China all now have the capability of knocking out each other's satellites by occluding their electronics or by running one vehicle smack into another. We've all already done it, accidentally (maybe) and deliberately (certainly).
NASA estimates there are more than 23,000 pieces of debris in orgit around Earth that are larger tha 10 centimetres in diameter (roughly the size of a grapefruit). There are another 500,000 sized between 1 and 10 centimetres (a tennis ball is about 7 centimetres) and in total, about 100 million bigger than 1 millimetre. Most pieces of debris may be small, but they are travelling at 25,000 km/h, which would be troubling if you came into contact with one. A 1-centimetre fragment travelling at that speed can create as much energy as a small car crashing into you, or your spaceship, at 40 km/h.
"Troubling." Heh.
Leave off imagining for a moment a huge solar flare knocking out all our satellites and consider the possibility that we do it to ourselves, leaving a huge cloud of orbiting debris from destroyed satellites, space stations (oh yes, the Chinese have one of those, too), and maybe one of Gerald K. O'Neill's habitats Jeff Bezos is planning to build. That cloud would preclude us from launching more, of anything. Maybe I shouldn't have given up my landline after all.
In the face of these dire possibilities, Marshall retains his optimism and his humor. He points out what space exploration has contributed to our quality of life thus far.
Computer science, telecommunications, microtechnology and solar power technology...Modern portable water purification systems...lighter breathing masks used by firefighters...heat-resistant clothing. Laptop computers, wireless headsets, LED lights and memory-foam mattresses? All can be traced back to the science of the Space Race...
The Lagrange points are car parks in space. We'll begin construction of permanently manned habitats on the moon by the end of this decade, even if it is driven by the prospect of mining essential elements in short (or shortening) supply on Earth. The 2020 Artemis Accords attempted to establish some sort of international law for future lunar colonization and exploitation, and are flawed (China and Russia didn't sign on) but at least a start. In the end he says
All the imagined and unimagined wonders are out there, in front of us, waiting to be discovered by Homo Spaciens.
A fascinating and enlightening read, highly recommended.
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Reading Progress
November 11, 2023
–
Started Reading
November 12, 2023
– Shelved
July 5, 2024
–
Finished Reading
