Books We Love Insider Blog: science fact

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Does the future of humanity reside in the stars? - by Vijaya Shartz

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The race to space is suddenly a reality, like the gold rush of old, and everyone wants a piece of it.

As a Science fiction writer and science fact enthusiast, I am excited by the many advances in space exploration.

According to the scientists and experts studying our chances of survival as a species, it seems that sooner or later, our planet will suffer a fiery end or near end, with the next extinction event, which is already overdue… eventually… in a century or ten thousand years.

Be it a space rock from the Kuiper belt, like the one that ended the dinosaurs, or a mega solar flare, or the consequences of pollution, the next pandemic, or the end of natural resources due to overpopulation, we are doomed. In truth, our very presence is destroying our planet.

But we also discovered that our galaxy harbors billions of habitable planets, that Mars was once similar to Earth, with an atmosphere, and water, and green forests, and may have supported civilizations. And that its end may have been the consequence of wars between ancient, advanced races... which destroyed another planet, resulting in the debris of the asteroid belt.

The Mars Rover

No wonder the US decided to establish a Space Force as a branch of the military. But we are not alone. Other rich countries are suddenly financing extensive space programs, to establish permanent bases on the moon and Mars.

Blue Origin capsule

Private companies are building rockets and shuttles to take us there. They also plan to exploit the mineral riches contained in the asteroids floating around our sun.

SpaceX Dragon capsule

The Chinese and the Japanese are already ahead of the US with a robotic presence on the far side of the moon, lunar satellites, and their own space stations. Nations are recruiting volunteers for a one-way trip to whatever real estate on Mars, the moon, or an asteroid on which they can stake their claim. Like the pioneers of old, adventurous souls with the right kind of expertise and survival skills, are lining up to volunteer. Already, nations are holding talks on how to divide the spoils.

Asteroids in the Kuiper belt are full of precious minerals

Robots will go to Mars first, to build the habitats needed to sustain human life. Then humans will follow.

Soon, bases on the moon will be manufacturing spaceships with the metals mined in space and will serve as Earth’s launchpad for Mars, and farther scientific and/or corporate exploration.

The Byzantium series is set on a human space station
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As a science fiction author, writing about a galaxy already colonized and populated by humans, living alongside other races, I can imagine the excitement of these early days of exploration, the dangers, the failures, and the victories. The first encounters with more evolved civilizations, what we can learn from them…

It won’t take very long, but we may not all be able to take that trip to the stars. In the meantime, you can read about exciting space adventures in my books.