What to Do in Space - Open Source with Christopher Lydon

Open Source with Christopher Lydon has an interesting take on radio - solicit topics and input via their blog. Selected comments from posters are thrown at guests during the program. It has a nice online community going - nearly all of the regular visitors seem like rational adults instead of poo-flinging monkeys some communities attract.

All that and they make each show available in convenient podcast form.

Today, Robin posted a new thread; What to do in Space.

So maybe this week’s most compelling space story actually has nothing to do with space. But there are plenty of interesting things going on in the final frontier that don’t involve attempted murder or adult diapers.

Nice hook.

You’ve probably heard about the Mars Rover and space weapons a la China, but do you know about plans to build a space elevator? Or to mine asteroids? Do you know about the 181 things scientists hope we can accomplish by returning to the moon?

I know our blog is harboring a secret colony of space enthusiasts, so let’s have a go at this. What should we be doing in space? (And conversely, what should we not be doing?) Is space a future wasteland or a future gold mine? What are the most interesting, innovative, or unconventional projects in the works or on the horizon? What role, if any, should private space exploration play? What should be our motivations for space exploration, and should they be different than they were in the past?

Hie thee to the link and contribute your thoughts. What the show turns into depends on listener feedback.