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Anthony North

They’re out there. They’re in space. They’re up there, above us, doing things around our planet. You know, our astronauts. They’re at the cutting edge of technology. They’re doing the job little kiddies dream of. So why aren’t I impressed?

I remember the science fiction of the 1960s, when I was a little kiddie. Lots of it was way over the top, but some made sense – such as being on Mars by the end of the 20th century; such as sending small interstellar craft to the heavens by now.

 None of it ever happened. It was all on the drawing board – ion drives, Bussard ramscoops to collect hydrogen fuel on the way, pulsed mini-nuclear explosions to accelerate a small probe to 4% the speed of light. It might have made Alpha Centurai by the time I died, but at least it would have been something.

We are sitting on an overcrowded planet with the technology but without the will. We are developing a kind of phobia, unable to reach out for our destiny, which can only be to explore and colonise space. But instead we’re up there in orbit, pretending that we have a space program and not a high atmosphere one.

We’re up there, but only just – like flies buzzing around something dead.

 © Anthony North, Feb 2007

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   When man first looked at the Earth from the Moon the whole of mankind changed. It is sad, though, that we don’t yet realize it.

   The astronauts who went on the Apollo missions were changed men when they returned. Some spoke of the change, becoming more mystical, or more artistic. And it wasn’t, so much, the Moon that changed them, but the Earth itself.

For the first time in history, the planet had been seen as more than a mere habitat. Suddenly, it was more than a rock with an atmosphere and fragmented races competing for space and power. Rather, it was a pulsating beacon, vibrating with life in a seemingly dark and dead universe. 

The vision the astronauts gained was of something more than mere man. It was a rebirth of spirituality. As later shown by Lovelock’s Gaia Hypothesis, Planet Earth was more akin to a coordinated wholeness; maybe not a living thing, as some would suggest, but a complete concept, with us as part of the whole. 

When pictures of the complete Earth were shown, an idea was placed in man’s consciousness. It was an idea of oneness and destiny – by oneness, we realized we were as one with everything else; by destiny, we understood that it was our purpose to be more than we presently were.

But as I said, we did not understand it at the time, and we still don’t. But consider this – since the pictures of the whole Earth were seen, the environmental cause has gathered steam; the world moved towards peace with talks which began the process to end the Cold War; the New Age movement became complete, with new attitudes towards spirituality and the ‘self.’ And frustrations began, deep in us all, that we were not fulfilling our complete potential.

At this present moment in history we are in denial of these urges, and the cause in realizing our togetherness on the planet. At the moment we’re fighting these urges, descending into self-destructive consumerism, trivia and conflict. But an idea, once placed, will eventually come out.

Mankind is on the verge of its new destiny, to become as one on the planet and then move forward to our next stage of discovery – space itself. And for as long as we fight this urge – for as long as we continue to descend into trivia and conflict – we will not be whole as a species.

Tell me I’m wrong.

© Anthony North, Feb 2007

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The recent UN report on climate change is damning for the planet. We can look forward to drought, freak storms and a re-drawn world map. And the problem is definitely down to the multi-nationals, the consumer society and oil usage. But is the answer to damn them? Yes and no.

 Perhaps space exploration can lend a helping hand. At present, space exploration – if the little that is done can be called exploration – is very much in the hands of government – America and Russia in particular. But if we look at the history of exploration a simple fact becomes obvious.

Take the British Empire. This was not made by government, but by enterprise – the famous East India Companies, for starters. Throughout history this has been the case. Alexander the Great may have carved an empire by brute force, but it was enterprise that then held the three elements in place following his death.

We should maybe learn a lesson, here, from history. First of all, enterprise imposes things on people, and it is just as true today as it has ever been. But enterprise also has periods of change and expansion that lead to exploration. Or so it did. And it must do so again.

I offer a challenge to enterprise; to the multi-nats. Eventually, you know the present system must change. As the planet warms up, people WILL get the message, and your bank accounts will begin to run dry. So why not make the change now, yourselves?

Do what you, and only you, can do. Get the hell off this planet and begin the next stage of exploration proper.

Hey, guys, there’s a universe out there!

© Anthony North, Feb 2007

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In July 1969 Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon. Hailed as a great success, it confirmed technological man, and his ability to break free of the confines of the planet. It was a moment to be proud in our abilities as an ingenious species. Or was it?

On the technological side, it certainly was. But what about motive? Clearly, as far as the technicians and astronauts were concerned, there was a pure motive. To advance, to experience, to explore. But they were the pawns of the decision to go.

That decision was political. And it had nothing to do with exploration. Rather, the USSR was beating America in the space race, and American politicians could not allow that. Hence, billions of dollars and a fine achievement had the grubbiest of motives.

This is a vital point to note concerning any future exploration of space. The need for such exploration is there. If we see something we can explore and learn about, we are compelled to do so. But we haven’t even begun the journey yet.

We haven’t begun because the politicians will not let it begin. They will allow space exploration as a side line, or to fulfill a political cause. But in terms of our destiny in space, we have not yet begun. It is time we did. For we are not fully human without a noble cause.

 It is time for lift-off.

© Anthony North, Jan 2007