Why October 27, 2031?
In October 2006, Liftport released the first comprehensive analysis of the steps needed to design, manufacture and deploy a space elevator. The results of this study pushed the former date, April 12, 2018, back a few years.
And I wanted to howl about how unfair it all is. 2031? I'll be an old man of 61. My youth! My faded beauty!
Then I realized I was being silly, settled down and published the page. Got back to work in other words. This is what happens with complicated projects that are being run well; you adjust to reality and don't demand that reality adjust to your deadline.
In the end, we're better for it. We've got a solid grasp of the broad outlines of what needs to be done. It's going to take longer - and we always knew it might - but in a perverse way we're in a better position to say we can (probably) do this thing.
I am taking odd pleasure in this quote from Hugh MacLeod - Meaningful Work or Death. Any other form of existence doesn’t interest me.
Amen.
