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The Space Show focuses on timely and important issues influencing the development of outer-space commerce and space tourism, as well as other related subjects of interest to us all.
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| Broadcast
1299 (Special Edition) |  Listen to the show! | | Aired on January 31st, 2010 | | Guest: Les Johnson |
| Guest: Les Johnson. Topics: Environmentalists and space advocates, using space to improve condition on Earth now. Les Johnson returned to The Space Show to discuss his new book, "Paradise Regained: The Regreening of Earth." This book is available at the One Giant Leap Foundation book website, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0387799850?tag=onegialeafou-20. Remember, if you buy it through OGLF, Amazon makes a contribution to The Space Show. In our first segment Les provided us with an introduction to his book and the need to use space to better the living conditions for the peoples of the world today and the future. We discussed the cost to the taxpayer for our space program and Mr. Johnson referred to the potato chip comparison. He talked about the need for the development of a long term strategy for utilizing space resources and for the Moon, plus other benefits that come from space development. Toward the end of the segment, we discussed the fact that there was no ecosystem on the Moon despite some groups saying if we went to the Moon we would damage or even destroy the lunar environment. We also talked about lobbying for space based solutions to Earth's problems, NASA as entertainment according to one listener and the potential for fusion and the use of HE3 on the Moon. In our second segment which lasted to the end of the program, we talked about the obvious conflict within the environmental community and with space advocacy. Our guest explained why both groups have much in common and are a natural to work together. We discussed extremist positions in both camps and how to improve on the exchange so that our areas of mutual interest can be developed. Mr. Johnson's book does an excellent job of speaking to both communities on these important areas of common ground so I strongly recommend you read and understand it. We also talked about the moral and ethical issues regarding the extreme environmental position versus going outward to space. This is a discussion you must hear. Later in this segment, Andrew called in and talked about myths in both communities and the lack of spirituality in the space community while being strong in the environmental community. This too emerged as an important discussion topic so listen carefully to what all of us had to say on this issue. SSP came up and our guest talked about its importance to everyone on Earth and how it could inspire us. Listen to what he had to say about inspiration. Later in this segment, I asked him for three solutions from his book to the problems we had been discussing. Listen to what he says those three solutions are and see if you agree. All are detailed in his book. As we moved toward the end of the show, we talked about the need for civility in the space advocacy community, leadership in the space community and what that might mean for spreading space advocacy views to a wider audience, and about the space community engaging more of the spiritual. Visit the Less Johnson website at http://lesjohnsonauthor.com. If you have a question or comment for Les Johnson, please email him from the website or at les.mail@lesjohnsonauthor.com. |
| About our guest... |
Les Johnson
Les Johnson is the Deputy Manager for NASA’s Advanced Concepts Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He is a co-investigator on a Japanese space tether experiment that will fly in the summer of 2009. During his career at NASA, he served as the Manager for the Space Science Programs and Projects Office, the In-Space Propulsion Technology Program, and the Interstellar Propulsion Research Project. He was the Chief Scientist for the ProSEDS space experiment, twice received NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal, and has three patents. He is an author of three popular science books, Living Off the Land in Space and Solar Sailing: A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel, and the soon-to-be published, Paradise Regained: The Re-greening of Planet Earth, which will explain why space advocates and environmentalists should work together. Les was the technical consultant for the movie, “Lost in Space.” Les has numerous peer reviewed publications and has been published in Analog. He is a frequent contributor to the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society and a member of the National Space Society, The World Future Society, and MENSA. National Public Radio, CNN, The New York Times, and Fox News have interviewed him. He’s appeared in several documentaries shown on The Discovery Channel and The Science Channel. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and physics from Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky and his Master’s degree in physics from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
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