Ethics in Space

Just wanted to let everyone know that I competed in a University Wide Speech competition. The topic had to be related to ethics in the new America, and I did America's role in ethics during the regulation of space travel and exploration...

Got 5th place! Not bad out 45,000 students... Well only 15 of us even made it to the competition phase, we had to submit a thesis to be accepted before the comp. I didn't make it to finals, they only took the top 4, but I was close! Pretty exciting stuff, I'll be competiting again next year!

My favorite line from the speech?

"In the 40 years man has been in space, we've put 20,000 TONS of material out there. Of that, 4,500 tons is left there today. Let me put this into perspective for you... there is enough of our materials drifting around in space that if you combined it all, it would weigh the same as 20 Statues of Liberty. Imagine, 20 Statues of Liberty floating around up there!"

That was a favorite of the judges too

Congratulations!!! Outstanding job, Cathleen! At long last, one of us is (kinda) famous!

Congratulations

Might that not warrant a special rank, Sigurd?

She's a forum administrator / site counsilor, she can change her rank to anything she wants

Imagine 20 Statues of Liberty crashing down in your neighborhood! I suspect that was one of your points.

Congrats! That is wonderful.

thanks guys

Great stuff!
Only I'm feeling a bit left out: Why not post more parts of your manuscript here? It'd be a great way to really start a discussion about ethics among the forum users. (eeehhr... no pun intended!:wink:)

Cheers
Max

It had to be an extemporaneous speech, so I don't actually have the manuscript

Basically it talked about the responsibility of the United States to participate in the development of global regulations in space.... discussed the fact that the United States has never had a representative on the United Nations World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (the group who wrote the Ethics in Space Policy) ... doesn't make sense if the US claims to be "winning" the modern day race to space, does it?

People thought Apollo 'won' the space race when--in point of fact--the Former Soviets have. Europe and the CIS field many more launches every year due to a lack of interest in space seen here in the states.

People see Rutan's little craft, hear it called a spaceship--listen to some talk radio idiot talk about how we don't need NASA anymore, and go back to sleep--failing to appreciated the fact that Rutans craft only had a fraction of the energy needed to go orbital, and how it still did not get as high as Shepards old Redstone, which was about on the same level as Falcon I.

We've got a long way to go.

Double congratulations then! Extemporate public speaking is a rare and wonderful art.



Now, that'd be proof that space is really special! I so hope the US would put its weight behind reasonable (i. e. light but clear) regulation. It'd make international business way simpler.

Semi-ethical side comment: Grrrreat Avatar!