1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 3 00:00:30,634 --> 00:00:35,165 O'NEILL: We Earthlings have always been an adventuring people. 4 00:00:35,166 --> 00:00:37,566 We've always looked to a frontier 5 00:00:37,567 --> 00:00:40,199 to give us new opportunity, 6 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,166 free reign to our sense of enterprise. 7 00:00:44,367 --> 00:00:47,899 The frontier enriched us, generating new wealth, 8 00:00:47,900 --> 00:00:50,666 but it also gave us new ideas, 9 00:00:50,667 --> 00:00:54,634 new institutions, and new ways of living. 10 00:00:55,634 --> 00:00:58,532 Today, the colonization of space 11 00:00:58,533 --> 00:01:03,399 offers us a new limitless frontier. 12 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:08,700 It's bountiful, it's friendly, and it's waiting for us. 13 00:01:09,467 --> 00:01:12,133 [♪♪♪] 14 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:35,065 When I speak of space colonies, I mean Earth-like habitats, 15 00:01:35,066 --> 00:01:38,666 complete with grass and trees and flowers. 16 00:01:38,667 --> 00:01:40,032 Habitats that can be built 17 00:01:40,033 --> 00:01:43,367 within the limits of existing technology. 18 00:02:11,100 --> 00:02:13,499 These are the most dangerous decades 19 00:02:13,500 --> 00:02:15,833 in all of human history. 20 00:02:15,834 --> 00:02:18,265 We have the capability to destroy ourselves 21 00:02:18,266 --> 00:02:22,299 and yet, we have not yet quite broken free 22 00:02:22,300 --> 00:02:26,232 of the limitations of that thin biosphere of the Earth. 23 00:02:26,233 --> 00:02:31,833 Life is extraordinarily rare, extraordinarily precious. 24 00:02:31,834 --> 00:02:37,165 Opening the high frontier means making possible 25 00:02:37,166 --> 00:02:41,433 and ensuring the survival of the human race. 26 00:02:49,133 --> 00:02:53,999 MAN: Five, four, three, two, one. 27 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,433 Liftoff on Apollo 11. 28 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,433 2000 feet. 45 degrees. Roger. 29 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:09,432 TUMLINSON: You had this optimism of the Apollo program, 30 00:03:09,433 --> 00:03:12,633 the optimism of the Russian space program. 31 00:03:12,634 --> 00:03:15,532 We are going out there. This is amazing. 32 00:03:15,533 --> 00:03:17,866 Even if the two space programs 33 00:03:17,867 --> 00:03:19,966 were somewhat covers to some degree 34 00:03:19,967 --> 00:03:23,366 for military activities, we didn't know that. 35 00:03:23,367 --> 00:03:26,532 We're hooking on to the optimism side as kids. 36 00:03:26,533 --> 00:03:33,599 And underlying it, there's this darkness we all could die. 37 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,299 You're watching on television, 38 00:03:36,300 --> 00:03:38,532 click, Star Trek. 39 00:03:38,533 --> 00:03:41,099 Oh, my God, that is so cool. 40 00:03:41,100 --> 00:03:44,966 Click, children being napalmed in Vietnam. 41 00:03:44,967 --> 00:03:48,165 Click, wow, Voyager is going out into the solar system. 42 00:03:48,166 --> 00:03:50,199 It's gonna tell us all about the universe 43 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,733 and how the solar system was created. 44 00:03:52,734 --> 00:03:56,232 Click, nuclear missiles on parade in Moscow. 45 00:03:56,233 --> 00:03:57,432 Click, oh, my God, 46 00:03:57,433 --> 00:03:59,833 they're driving carts around on the moon. 47 00:03:59,834 --> 00:04:01,099 This is so incredible. 48 00:04:01,100 --> 00:04:05,232 Click, mushroom clouds of nuclear tests. 49 00:04:05,233 --> 00:04:07,899 That's what's in your head at that time. 50 00:04:07,900 --> 00:04:10,065 A lot of people chose to tune out. 51 00:04:10,066 --> 00:04:14,032 But some of us, a tiny percentage, 52 00:04:14,033 --> 00:04:15,532 there was a spark going on. 53 00:04:15,533 --> 00:04:20,666 In the future, space shuttles coming 50 times a year, 54 00:04:20,667 --> 00:04:23,032 hundred dollars a pound. 55 00:04:23,033 --> 00:04:26,065 In the past, all of these positive messages 56 00:04:26,066 --> 00:04:29,065 and these negative threats are laying in there. 57 00:04:29,066 --> 00:04:30,633 And right in the middle of that, 58 00:04:30,634 --> 00:04:33,699 Dr. O'Neill drops this book, The High Frontier. 59 00:04:33,700 --> 00:04:34,766 My next guest... 60 00:04:34,767 --> 00:04:36,165 Talking about outer space 61 00:04:36,166 --> 00:04:38,299 and colonizing outer space is always intriguing. 62 00:04:38,300 --> 00:04:40,132 And here's a gentleman who knows about it. 63 00:04:40,133 --> 00:04:42,766 He's a professor of physics at Princeton University. 64 00:04:42,767 --> 00:04:44,933 He's also the creator of a concept 65 00:04:44,934 --> 00:04:47,399 for space manufacturing and space colonies, 66 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:49,599 in which people of the future... A not-too-distant future. 67 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,432 I'm not talking 2 or 300 years. We'll live in outer space. 68 00:04:52,433 --> 00:04:54,999 And that's the subject of this book called The High Frontier. 69 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,432 Would you welcome, please, Gerard K. O'Neill. 70 00:04:57,433 --> 00:04:59,567 [Applause] 71 00:05:08,233 --> 00:05:10,599 I read the book as being an amateur astronomer. 72 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:12,899 A very amateur astronomer. Stuff like this fascinates me. 73 00:05:12,900 --> 00:05:14,999 Great possibilities for astronomy out there. 74 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,766 The book that he wrote, The High Frontier, 75 00:05:17,767 --> 00:05:22,566 was just a massively influential book. 76 00:05:22,567 --> 00:05:24,432 Being a practical visionary 77 00:05:24,433 --> 00:05:27,699 was what made him such an influence on the community. 78 00:05:27,700 --> 00:05:32,199 He was this big, heroic figure that everybody was following. 79 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:36,199 He was, well, very precise in his language, very direct. 80 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,199 He'd tell you what he thought. 81 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:42,065 And if you were going off the path in some technical matter, 82 00:05:42,066 --> 00:05:45,099 he would recognize that and set you straight. 83 00:05:45,100 --> 00:05:46,599 But he was a very modest man. 84 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,733 I remember him worrying that the space colony idea 85 00:05:49,734 --> 00:05:51,299 would become a one-man show. 86 00:05:51,300 --> 00:05:54,499 And he was glad to see other people getting into the game. 87 00:05:54,500 --> 00:05:56,065 He was like the rock star. 88 00:05:56,066 --> 00:05:59,499 He was like Steve Jobs before Steve Jobs, you know. 89 00:05:59,500 --> 00:06:03,400 A great speaker, huge audience excitement. 90 00:06:04,567 --> 00:06:07,599 It was just a feeling that the future had arrived 91 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:09,232 and we can be part of it. 92 00:06:09,233 --> 00:06:11,399 Why has he not remained famous? 93 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,766 I think it's because he straddled different communities. 94 00:06:14,767 --> 00:06:17,099 He didn't fit into one box. 95 00:06:17,100 --> 00:06:19,332 You know, this is why he wasn't more popular. 96 00:06:19,333 --> 00:06:21,999 He did not have immense economic success. 97 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,532 He did not use his accomplishments 98 00:06:25,533 --> 00:06:29,265 to put down everyone else and succeed. 99 00:06:29,266 --> 00:06:32,065 The political climate wasn't there 100 00:06:32,066 --> 00:06:35,833 and he wasn't economically wildly successful. 101 00:06:35,834 --> 00:06:38,733 Gerry was aware of 102 00:06:38,734 --> 00:06:43,099 and thoughtful about a whole range of technological subjects 103 00:06:43,100 --> 00:06:46,300 that you would not think he would be. 104 00:06:51,033 --> 00:06:52,766 O'NEILL [RECORDED]: From our beginnings, 105 00:06:52,767 --> 00:06:56,499 technology has paced the development of mankind. 106 00:06:56,500 --> 00:06:59,265 It's the heartbeat of civilization. 107 00:06:59,266 --> 00:07:01,899 Possibly, by the end of this century, 108 00:07:01,900 --> 00:07:05,699 computers that speak and understand human speech. 109 00:07:05,700 --> 00:07:09,866 We'll see a complete switch to electronic mail. 110 00:07:09,867 --> 00:07:13,799 The personal communicator, a device worn on the wrist 111 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,633 that will enable us to take calls anywhere on Earth. 112 00:07:17,634 --> 00:07:20,332 Today's paperbacks will give way 113 00:07:20,333 --> 00:07:24,265 to the small electronic slate board of tomorrow. 114 00:07:24,266 --> 00:07:27,065 We can expect to travel routinely 115 00:07:27,066 --> 00:07:29,232 in magnetic floater trains, 116 00:07:29,233 --> 00:07:31,432 silently coasting through the vacuum, 117 00:07:31,433 --> 00:07:35,132 not of space, but of long, narrow tubes. 118 00:07:35,133 --> 00:07:37,966 The private car will still be around. 119 00:07:37,967 --> 00:07:40,265 It, too, will be computer-guided. 120 00:07:40,266 --> 00:07:42,999 Vehicles would follow pre-chosen routes 121 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:48,799 and we could start saving lives lost annually to car accidents. 122 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:53,099 I think it's important to paint a picture of the future. 123 00:07:53,100 --> 00:07:55,032 A lot of scientists don't do that. 124 00:07:55,033 --> 00:07:58,065 But he's really vividly painted an image 125 00:07:58,066 --> 00:07:59,733 of what the future could look like. 126 00:07:59,734 --> 00:08:00,966 When you create that kind 127 00:08:00,967 --> 00:08:02,633 of an image of the future for people, 128 00:08:02,634 --> 00:08:06,366 then it's like a blueprint that people can go to work on. 129 00:08:06,367 --> 00:08:09,065 Gerry was incredibly smart 130 00:08:09,066 --> 00:08:12,599 and incredibly visioned and incredibly creative. 131 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,332 They don't make somebody full professor of physics 132 00:08:15,333 --> 00:08:18,633 unless he's done something really amazing 133 00:08:18,634 --> 00:08:20,265 and really, you know, 134 00:08:20,266 --> 00:08:24,099 really fundamental contributions to the field. 135 00:08:24,100 --> 00:08:26,132 And he did. 136 00:08:26,133 --> 00:08:31,333 In the '60s, he invented the particle accelerator, 137 00:08:32,467 --> 00:08:34,065 which is really, then, the... 138 00:08:34,066 --> 00:08:37,232 Was the basis for every other big machine 139 00:08:37,233 --> 00:08:39,432 like CERN in Switzerland, 140 00:08:39,433 --> 00:08:42,966 all based on Gerry's first idea, 141 00:08:42,967 --> 00:08:45,666 except he never got the credit. 142 00:08:45,667 --> 00:08:49,265 And that's sort of a leitmotif through his life. 143 00:08:49,266 --> 00:08:52,399 That was, in fact, a big contribution 144 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:56,399 that essentially, the whole world followed his example. 145 00:08:56,400 --> 00:09:01,699 After O'Neill, then everybody was building colliding beams. 146 00:09:01,700 --> 00:09:06,232 It changed the whole strategy of high-energy physics. 147 00:09:06,233 --> 00:09:08,599 About the time where you'd expect 148 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,132 that he might've been under consideration 149 00:09:11,133 --> 00:09:16,132 for a Nobel Prize, he started writing sort of popular science 150 00:09:16,133 --> 00:09:19,499 like The High Frontier. 151 00:09:19,500 --> 00:09:24,432 And that is a kiss of death to the Nobel committees. 152 00:09:24,433 --> 00:09:27,299 Gotta stay within your lane. 153 00:09:27,300 --> 00:09:28,966 NARRATOR: Gerry O'Neill is a physicist 154 00:09:28,967 --> 00:09:31,699 with a brilliant reputation among his colleagues 155 00:09:31,700 --> 00:09:35,499 for his pioneering work on giant particle accelerators. 156 00:09:35,500 --> 00:09:38,399 O'Neill might have stayed in that abstract world, 157 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,132 but he has always been intrigued by space. 158 00:09:41,133 --> 00:09:43,532 And then came the year of 1969. 159 00:09:43,533 --> 00:09:45,432 It happened that year I was teaching 160 00:09:45,433 --> 00:09:47,032 the big freshmen physics course 161 00:09:47,033 --> 00:09:49,232 at Princeton with about 350 students. 162 00:09:49,233 --> 00:09:51,733 I felt it was very important at that time 163 00:09:51,734 --> 00:09:55,532 to show to those students that it was possible 164 00:09:55,533 --> 00:09:58,099 for science and technology to be used 165 00:09:58,100 --> 00:09:59,899 for human good and not just for ill. 166 00:09:59,900 --> 00:10:02,899 NARRATOR: Spaceship Earth was becoming crowded, 167 00:10:02,900 --> 00:10:05,366 dirty and short of supplies. 168 00:10:05,367 --> 00:10:07,999 Most experts saw things getting worse. 169 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:09,366 But O'Neill asked instead 170 00:10:09,367 --> 00:10:11,432 a startling and extraordinary question. 171 00:10:11,433 --> 00:10:17,666 The question that he asked that physics class at Princeton 172 00:10:17,667 --> 00:10:20,432 was classic in that it was not, strictly speaking, 173 00:10:20,433 --> 00:10:22,132 a technological question. 174 00:10:22,133 --> 00:10:24,399 It was a civilization question. 175 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:29,399 Is a planetary surface the right place 176 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,366 for an expanding industrial civilization? 177 00:10:32,367 --> 00:10:37,399 So he and this special group of students 178 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:39,466 looked into the numbers 179 00:10:39,467 --> 00:10:46,265 and they were really impressed by the results that they found. 180 00:10:46,266 --> 00:10:49,099 And that's when the answer was no. 181 00:10:49,100 --> 00:10:54,699 He wanted to teach the physics by asking interesting questions 182 00:10:54,700 --> 00:10:58,032 that would force the students to actually learn the physics. 183 00:10:58,033 --> 00:11:02,132 MILLER: If you go read back what started Gerry at Princeton, 184 00:11:02,133 --> 00:11:04,666 you know, where is the logical place 185 00:11:04,667 --> 00:11:06,532 for people to live and work in space? 186 00:11:06,533 --> 00:11:10,499 They went to first principles and thought long-term. 187 00:11:10,500 --> 00:11:13,065 In the long term, fundamentally, 188 00:11:13,066 --> 00:11:15,132 you can construct space settlements 189 00:11:15,133 --> 00:11:16,567 in free space. 190 00:11:24,333 --> 00:11:27,799 Industries and colonies in space may sound incredible 191 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:29,633 but we who are working toward them 192 00:11:29,634 --> 00:11:31,799 know that most of the building blocks 193 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:33,266 are already in place. 194 00:11:34,433 --> 00:11:37,866 You know, it sounds crazy, but completely feasible. 195 00:11:37,867 --> 00:11:40,265 And all the technology is already available. 196 00:11:40,266 --> 00:11:41,866 Seems to be. What you are saying is, 197 00:11:41,867 --> 00:11:44,199 eventually, and you would construct these, 198 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:45,766 you'd send up a space shuttle, 199 00:11:45,767 --> 00:11:47,999 which we are gonna have very soon or will have. 200 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,666 That's absolutely right. Send up construction workers 201 00:11:50,667 --> 00:11:52,399 and fabricate probably something. 202 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,799 A sky lab or some kind of space station 203 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,599 with a small number of people. And the colony, actually, 204 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:00,366 would have to be built while it's in space, right? 205 00:12:00,367 --> 00:12:02,933 Yes, that's right, Johnny. And the fundamental idea 206 00:12:02,934 --> 00:12:07,532 is to try to use those energy and material resources 207 00:12:07,533 --> 00:12:09,966 that are really already waiting for us out in space. 208 00:12:09,967 --> 00:12:13,232 O'NEILL: Something which we feel could be made 209 00:12:13,233 --> 00:12:15,766 as a first model space colony. 210 00:12:15,767 --> 00:12:19,032 But this is a cylinder rotating in space. 211 00:12:19,033 --> 00:12:25,332 It's about a thousand yards long and perhaps 200 in diameter. 212 00:12:25,333 --> 00:12:26,666 And there are two of them. 213 00:12:26,667 --> 00:12:28,566 There's one like this and there's another one, 214 00:12:28,567 --> 00:12:30,432 which is down below the picture 215 00:12:30,433 --> 00:12:33,733 and connected by these very thin structures 216 00:12:33,734 --> 00:12:36,466 that are shown here, these thin white lines. 217 00:12:36,467 --> 00:12:39,666 This is a cylinder which is... 218 00:12:39,667 --> 00:12:43,866 Has its axis pointing toward the sun always. 219 00:12:43,867 --> 00:12:45,366 And as you look at it, 220 00:12:45,367 --> 00:12:49,633 you see that it's divided into about six segments. 221 00:12:49,634 --> 00:12:53,399 There are window areas. There are three of them here. 222 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,399 And there are land areas. 223 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,399 This is a cylinder, which is rotating. 224 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:00,599 It contains an atmosphere, 225 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:04,332 a breathable atmosphere, mainly of oxygen. 226 00:13:04,333 --> 00:13:07,499 And as it rotates, rotates at the right speed 227 00:13:07,500 --> 00:13:11,199 so that it makes one Earth normal gravity on the inside. 228 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:15,366 So by the time you get up to a diameter of several miles, 229 00:13:15,367 --> 00:13:18,733 that's enough atmosphere so that it can produce the scattering, 230 00:13:18,734 --> 00:13:22,099 which gives us the blue sky here on the surface of the Earth. 231 00:13:22,100 --> 00:13:23,799 And clouds. And clouds. 232 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:26,332 You would have mountains and sun. Yes. 233 00:13:26,333 --> 00:13:27,699 See, the natural thing 234 00:13:27,700 --> 00:13:30,866 is to model mountains on the end cap like this. 235 00:13:30,867 --> 00:13:32,733 I hate to persist with this dumb question 236 00:13:32,734 --> 00:13:34,165 in my head. No questions are dumb. 237 00:13:34,166 --> 00:13:36,599 What is the mountain? Is...? Does the mountain come 238 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:38,432 from the composition of the materials... 239 00:13:38,433 --> 00:13:40,099 The material. Material... from the moon? 240 00:13:40,100 --> 00:13:43,566 The moon is a really good source for building materials. 241 00:13:43,567 --> 00:13:46,532 You know, the Apollo astronauts, in many of their... 242 00:13:46,533 --> 00:13:48,699 Of the Apollo flights, were picking up, 243 00:13:48,700 --> 00:13:51,733 just casually, chunks of rock in the lunar surface. 244 00:13:51,734 --> 00:13:54,866 They were 40 percent aluminum by weight. 245 00:13:54,867 --> 00:13:56,232 And oxygen... 246 00:13:56,233 --> 00:14:01,466 The lunar surface is, like, 30, 40 percent oxygen by weight. 247 00:14:01,467 --> 00:14:03,065 There's no problem about atmosphere. 248 00:14:03,066 --> 00:14:05,032 The moon is very rich in titanium too... 249 00:14:05,033 --> 00:14:07,432 That's right... which we never use enough of 250 00:14:07,433 --> 00:14:10,599 here on Earth because steel is so much cheaper. 251 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:12,566 But you could do things with titanium. 252 00:14:12,567 --> 00:14:14,265 They can be very cute. 253 00:14:14,266 --> 00:14:19,466 The human race must leave and occupy other places in space. 254 00:14:19,467 --> 00:14:21,733 Do you really believe we can be there soon? 255 00:14:21,734 --> 00:14:23,899 With the technology that we have now, 256 00:14:23,900 --> 00:14:27,332 we could do it in maybe by the late 1980s. 257 00:14:27,333 --> 00:14:28,866 The episode of human life 258 00:14:28,867 --> 00:14:31,833 being confined to Earth is coming to an end. 259 00:14:31,834 --> 00:14:34,866 Space will be the next civilization. 260 00:14:34,867 --> 00:14:38,699 Plans are on the drawing boards for space colonies. 261 00:14:38,700 --> 00:14:41,899 In the long term, it's really much the same thing 262 00:14:41,900 --> 00:14:45,833 that brought us first as amphibians onto the seashore, 263 00:14:45,834 --> 00:14:48,566 and then eventually got us down out of the trees 264 00:14:48,567 --> 00:14:49,933 and walking around on the earth. 265 00:14:49,934 --> 00:14:52,032 And that is the movement into new habitats 266 00:14:52,033 --> 00:14:54,099 and the opening up of new possibilities, 267 00:14:54,100 --> 00:14:58,065 basically new sources of wealth to support our people. 268 00:14:58,066 --> 00:15:00,966 The kinds of cities that we speak about in space 269 00:15:00,967 --> 00:15:04,833 would look a lot like small villages here on the Earth. 270 00:15:04,834 --> 00:15:06,132 We wouldn't have to have cars 271 00:15:06,133 --> 00:15:07,933 because the distances wouldn't be great. 272 00:15:07,934 --> 00:15:09,999 But we'd be riding bicycles and walking. 273 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:12,199 It ought to be quite a healthy life. 274 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:13,666 [♪♪♪] 275 00:15:13,667 --> 00:15:15,966 O'NEILL: The excitement is going to be, in part, 276 00:15:15,967 --> 00:15:18,633 the unusual geometry working on the interior 277 00:15:18,634 --> 00:15:20,232 of a rotating sphere. 278 00:15:20,233 --> 00:15:24,966 Second, the tremendous challenge and the tremendous opportunity 279 00:15:24,967 --> 00:15:27,599 of working with different levels of gravity. 280 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,866 Because although the architecture 281 00:15:29,867 --> 00:15:31,766 of the region near the equator 282 00:15:31,767 --> 00:15:33,099 is going to be not that different 283 00:15:33,100 --> 00:15:34,699 from the architecture of the Earth, 284 00:15:34,700 --> 00:15:35,966 by the time you get up close 285 00:15:35,967 --> 00:15:38,999 to the rotational axis of the colony, 286 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,065 gravity will fall off to almost nothing. 287 00:15:41,066 --> 00:15:46,199 It will be possible to design very light, airy structures, 288 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,933 which can yet support the very small loads 289 00:15:48,934 --> 00:15:50,799 that they'll be required to take. 290 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:52,733 So a beautifully new and airy 291 00:15:52,734 --> 00:15:54,566 and fantastic kind of architecture 292 00:15:54,567 --> 00:15:56,032 will become possible there. 293 00:15:56,033 --> 00:15:58,232 Extremely beautiful, if done properly, 294 00:15:58,233 --> 00:16:01,700 that will never be possible on the surface of the Earth. 295 00:16:22,066 --> 00:16:23,099 Come closer. 296 00:16:23,100 --> 00:16:24,899 [Chuckles] 297 00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:27,232 Hello. Hey, guys. How are you? 298 00:16:27,233 --> 00:16:29,299 Hey, sweetie. How you doing? 299 00:16:29,300 --> 00:16:31,099 Hey, you. Oh, I love you. 300 00:16:31,100 --> 00:16:32,566 Good to see you. 301 00:16:32,567 --> 00:16:34,032 You all right? How you doing? 302 00:16:34,033 --> 00:16:35,232 Great. Awesome. 303 00:16:35,233 --> 00:16:36,666 That's so cool. All right. 304 00:16:36,667 --> 00:16:38,599 Hi, Janet. How you doing? 305 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:40,399 Okay. How are you doing? 306 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:41,633 So comfy. 307 00:16:41,634 --> 00:16:43,200 [Laughing] 308 00:16:45,533 --> 00:16:48,366 EDWARD: Everything against what he's into. 309 00:16:48,367 --> 00:16:49,666 ELEANOR: Yeah. EDWARD: Yeah. 310 00:16:49,667 --> 00:16:51,633 TASHA: Because a planetary surface 311 00:16:51,634 --> 00:16:53,132 was not the right kind of place... 312 00:16:53,133 --> 00:16:56,633 BOTH: ...for expanding technological civilization. 313 00:16:56,634 --> 00:16:58,266 [All laugh] 314 00:17:01,533 --> 00:17:03,266 We got that tagline down pat. 315 00:17:04,333 --> 00:17:06,199 I think the inspiration might have been... 316 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:10,866 I mean, he certainly wrote about you in The High Frontier and... 317 00:17:10,867 --> 00:17:13,967 I was a mascot. Yes, you were a mascot. 318 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,532 But I think he was thinking about future generations. 319 00:17:18,533 --> 00:17:21,833 That was what was driving him. And his kids were driving him. 320 00:17:21,834 --> 00:17:24,532 And he loved all of us very, very much 321 00:17:24,533 --> 00:17:26,766 and wanted a better world for us. 322 00:17:26,767 --> 00:17:30,032 And I think he really integrated that into his writings. 323 00:17:30,033 --> 00:17:35,833 He'd write and I'd sort of lie there in that little sofa 324 00:17:35,834 --> 00:17:39,666 and read the first chapters and so on, you know. 325 00:17:39,667 --> 00:17:41,299 Had me as a sounding board. 326 00:17:41,300 --> 00:17:42,866 But we could have, you know, 327 00:17:42,867 --> 00:17:45,733 Gilbert and Sullivan in the background. 328 00:17:45,734 --> 00:17:47,699 And we just, you know... 329 00:17:47,700 --> 00:17:50,532 Companionable thing together. 330 00:17:50,533 --> 00:17:51,899 I take this very seriously 331 00:17:51,900 --> 00:17:54,933 because I think we have to leave this planet. 332 00:17:54,934 --> 00:17:57,265 We've gotta expand our horizons. 333 00:17:57,266 --> 00:17:59,866 And this is the next and logical frontier. 334 00:17:59,867 --> 00:18:02,499 I've been trying to get to New York all my life. 335 00:18:02,500 --> 00:18:04,032 I don't wanna leave it. 336 00:18:04,033 --> 00:18:06,265 NARRATOR: Since man appeared on the Earth, 337 00:18:06,266 --> 00:18:09,699 he has reached into the unknown for a better life. 338 00:18:09,700 --> 00:18:11,666 That age-old quest now takes us 339 00:18:11,667 --> 00:18:15,599 beyond the Earth into the universe. 340 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:18,933 The knowledge exists today to expand beyond our planet 341 00:18:18,934 --> 00:18:21,099 to a totally new environment. 342 00:18:21,100 --> 00:18:23,532 Space can free us from our dependence 343 00:18:23,533 --> 00:18:25,065 on Earth's precious resources. 344 00:18:25,066 --> 00:18:26,966 Space will provide us with the energy 345 00:18:26,967 --> 00:18:29,466 and raw materials to create new things. 346 00:18:29,467 --> 00:18:31,065 It will give us room to grow. 347 00:18:31,066 --> 00:18:32,966 Living in space offers the promise 348 00:18:32,967 --> 00:18:34,499 of a better life for man, 349 00:18:34,500 --> 00:18:37,899 but raise questions we haven't yet thought to ask. 350 00:18:37,900 --> 00:18:40,199 The whole story of human civilization 351 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:42,899 has been one of exploration and discovery. 352 00:18:42,900 --> 00:18:46,232 That's what's made me... Made us what we are. 353 00:18:46,233 --> 00:18:49,532 And, um... if we stayed in one place, 354 00:18:49,533 --> 00:18:51,467 we'd have probably become extinct. 355 00:18:53,233 --> 00:18:56,099 We have to go out into the universe 356 00:18:56,100 --> 00:18:57,766 to open other possibilities, 357 00:18:57,767 --> 00:18:59,933 to get around the barriers to growth, 358 00:18:59,934 --> 00:19:01,132 which exist on this Earth. 359 00:19:01,133 --> 00:19:03,032 I think I've always been somebody 360 00:19:03,033 --> 00:19:06,432 who likes to look ahead instead of behind. 361 00:19:06,433 --> 00:19:08,265 And so those ideas were like: 362 00:19:08,266 --> 00:19:10,165 "Yeah, something really cool is going to happen." 363 00:19:10,166 --> 00:19:12,999 I want to go towards that. In a way, that's my agenda. 364 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:14,432 I do want us to go out in space. 365 00:19:14,433 --> 00:19:16,967 And I definitely have a really strong... 366 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:26,466 priority that we diversify our home as a human species 367 00:19:26,467 --> 00:19:31,866 and not be subject to a really bad volcano going on 368 00:19:31,867 --> 00:19:34,566 and giving us a winter for the next 10 years 369 00:19:34,567 --> 00:19:37,966 or a meteor hitting and... That wiped out the dinosaurs. 370 00:19:37,967 --> 00:19:39,633 All those things, they could happen. 371 00:19:39,634 --> 00:19:41,766 If we don't try and get off the planet 372 00:19:41,767 --> 00:19:45,699 or diversify our base before that happens, 373 00:19:45,700 --> 00:19:47,666 it'll be too late when it does happen. 374 00:19:47,667 --> 00:19:48,999 There are a lot of people 375 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,499 who aren't interested in space exploration. 376 00:19:51,500 --> 00:19:53,999 And they're not interested in space settlements. 377 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:56,466 But they're really interested in the Earth 378 00:19:56,467 --> 00:19:58,299 and the fate of the Earth. 379 00:19:58,300 --> 00:19:59,232 We were advocates. 380 00:19:59,233 --> 00:20:01,299 We were advocating its importance. 381 00:20:01,300 --> 00:20:05,466 And we were trying to interest people 382 00:20:05,467 --> 00:20:09,566 who are more concerned with Earthbound issues 383 00:20:09,567 --> 00:20:10,966 and we were trying to show them 384 00:20:10,967 --> 00:20:14,199 how moving out into the solar system and beyond 385 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:18,099 would be a transformational event for humanity. 386 00:20:18,100 --> 00:20:22,766 But he once told me that... His belief that... 387 00:20:22,767 --> 00:20:25,766 Was that most wars were around resources. 388 00:20:25,767 --> 00:20:27,566 Scarce resources. WOMAN: Right. 389 00:20:27,567 --> 00:20:31,432 And so his belief was so strong 390 00:20:31,433 --> 00:20:35,065 that if we could create unlimited resources 391 00:20:35,066 --> 00:20:37,232 out in space, everybody would have 392 00:20:37,233 --> 00:20:39,933 as much land, as much water, as much... 393 00:20:39,934 --> 00:20:42,699 Everything they needed to eat and live. 394 00:20:42,700 --> 00:20:44,399 There would be no more wars. 395 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:45,766 [CHUCKLES] If only. 396 00:20:45,767 --> 00:20:47,199 So what a beautiful vision. 397 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:49,265 Everybody could have their own colony. 398 00:20:49,266 --> 00:20:51,065 Right. Whatever persuasion they were 399 00:20:51,066 --> 00:20:52,332 or whatever. Yeah. Right. 400 00:20:52,333 --> 00:20:55,400 [♪♪♪] 401 00:21:07,533 --> 00:21:10,332 NARRATOR: The colonization of space in the 21st century 402 00:21:10,333 --> 00:21:12,466 would involve thousands of people from Earth 403 00:21:12,467 --> 00:21:14,499 living and working in huge settlements 404 00:21:14,500 --> 00:21:17,966 stationed at what are known as the Lagrangian points. 405 00:21:17,967 --> 00:21:19,499 Stable, gravity-free locations 406 00:21:19,500 --> 00:21:21,899 in roughly the same orbit as the moon, 407 00:21:21,900 --> 00:21:24,566 some 300,000 kilometers from Earth. 408 00:21:24,567 --> 00:21:27,432 Professor Gerard O'Neill of the Space Studies Institute 409 00:21:27,433 --> 00:21:31,432 is one of the main architects of the space colony concept. 410 00:21:31,433 --> 00:21:34,733 The fundamental, long-term human necessity 411 00:21:34,734 --> 00:21:36,599 is the generation of greater wealth 412 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:41,165 to raise the living standard for all of the world's peoples. 413 00:21:41,166 --> 00:21:45,999 O'NEILL: We're hoping to develop a view of the Earth 414 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:48,899 that will enable us to predict the climate 415 00:21:48,900 --> 00:21:50,933 over long periods of time 416 00:21:50,934 --> 00:21:53,599 so that humanity won't get into trouble 417 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:56,165 if something goes wrong. 418 00:21:56,166 --> 00:21:59,332 I think it's very important that we'd be outside 419 00:21:59,333 --> 00:22:02,899 this nuclear-filled pressure cooker that we're in 420 00:22:02,900 --> 00:22:05,966 and we get people out and living far away 421 00:22:05,967 --> 00:22:07,566 and dispersed from the Earth 422 00:22:07,567 --> 00:22:10,999 so that no single catastrophe could wipe out the human race. 423 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,899 If you give mankind a huge project 424 00:22:13,900 --> 00:22:16,132 to interest themselves in 425 00:22:16,133 --> 00:22:19,199 and once they get this vision 426 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:22,766 of life in space of a myriad worlds, 427 00:22:22,767 --> 00:22:24,599 of mankind expanding, 428 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:29,332 the notion of fighting wars over real estate on Earth 429 00:22:29,333 --> 00:22:32,466 becomes a little too ridiculous to take seriously. 430 00:22:32,467 --> 00:22:36,666 So I see before us two basic choices. 431 00:22:36,667 --> 00:22:38,833 There can be more wars, 432 00:22:38,834 --> 00:22:41,199 more restrictions on individual freedom 433 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:45,265 as we battle in what has to be a zero-sum game 434 00:22:45,266 --> 00:22:47,332 over the resources of our planet 435 00:22:47,333 --> 00:22:51,132 or a new flowering of opportunity 436 00:22:51,133 --> 00:22:54,966 with wealth for all humanity and the arts 437 00:22:54,967 --> 00:22:57,999 as we open a new frontier in space 438 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,232 with more than a thousand times the land area 439 00:23:01,233 --> 00:23:03,599 and resources of planet Earth. 440 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,499 You know, the more money we put into space, 441 00:23:06,500 --> 00:23:10,432 the less money we have for arms and munitions. 442 00:23:10,433 --> 00:23:15,265 When people talk about how much it costs us to go out in space, 443 00:23:15,266 --> 00:23:18,032 it seems to me that it's much better 444 00:23:18,033 --> 00:23:21,165 to spend the money on that than on weapons. 445 00:23:21,166 --> 00:23:24,666 And I would like to see the various nations of the world 446 00:23:24,667 --> 00:23:26,366 no longer able to afford war 447 00:23:26,367 --> 00:23:29,165 because they're putting too much money into space. 448 00:23:29,166 --> 00:23:30,366 I think that would be great. 449 00:23:30,367 --> 00:23:32,432 Mary Helen, I'm really concerned 450 00:23:32,433 --> 00:23:36,366 about space exploration and scientific research in general. 451 00:23:36,367 --> 00:23:39,933 I feel the government isn't spending quite enough money 452 00:23:39,934 --> 00:23:42,933 on research in productive areas. 453 00:23:42,934 --> 00:23:45,566 We're spending much too much money on defense. 454 00:23:45,567 --> 00:23:46,833 I think we could probably do 455 00:23:46,834 --> 00:23:48,366 what Dr. O'Neill was talking about 456 00:23:48,367 --> 00:23:50,532 if we just take some of those defense dollars 457 00:23:50,533 --> 00:23:52,466 and move them into space. I've got a better idea. 458 00:23:52,467 --> 00:23:55,065 Let's move the whole Pentagon. That would solve the problem. 459 00:23:55,066 --> 00:23:56,165 Oh, but not to space. 460 00:23:56,166 --> 00:23:58,699 The space is everybody's frontier. 461 00:23:58,700 --> 00:24:03,199 One of the most common statements by astronauts is, I... 462 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:07,332 In my mind, I did expect to see lines, 463 00:24:07,333 --> 00:24:10,532 borders, boundaries on the Earth. 464 00:24:10,533 --> 00:24:12,100 They are not there. 465 00:24:13,300 --> 00:24:18,432 And in many ways, these imaginary lines and borders 466 00:24:18,433 --> 00:24:22,232 cause us to work from that perspective, 467 00:24:22,233 --> 00:24:25,699 but we know, for example, climate change, 468 00:24:25,700 --> 00:24:29,499 war and peace, almost every issue you think of, 469 00:24:29,500 --> 00:24:35,265 we can't resolve without getting beyond our national identities. 470 00:24:35,266 --> 00:24:39,833 Going to space and seeing our world without borders 471 00:24:39,834 --> 00:24:41,833 and seeing where we all came from 472 00:24:41,834 --> 00:24:46,432 and just how finite and how special our existence is, 473 00:24:46,433 --> 00:24:47,966 that perspective is essential 474 00:24:47,967 --> 00:24:51,032 for us to address the global problems we are now facing. 475 00:24:51,033 --> 00:24:53,866 We call the Earth "the old country". 476 00:24:53,867 --> 00:24:55,466 Yeah. Right. 477 00:24:55,467 --> 00:24:57,766 And, in fact, you do suggest that there's... 478 00:24:57,767 --> 00:25:00,532 We'd go only to the Earth for recreational purposes. 479 00:25:00,533 --> 00:25:02,599 Let it restore itself. I'm very fond of the Earth. 480 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:04,366 I think that the best thing we can do 481 00:25:04,367 --> 00:25:06,666 is to put the industries somewhere else. 482 00:25:06,667 --> 00:25:10,399 [♪♪♪] 483 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,099 In the fall of '69, I came to Princeton 484 00:25:13,100 --> 00:25:16,265 to be the au pair for the Gallop family. 485 00:25:16,266 --> 00:25:19,532 And on my first night off 486 00:25:19,533 --> 00:25:23,699 the other German girl took me to the Y 487 00:25:23,700 --> 00:25:25,933 to an international club. 488 00:25:25,934 --> 00:25:27,933 All of a sudden, the door opened 489 00:25:27,934 --> 00:25:30,099 and a man came in, and I thought: 490 00:25:30,100 --> 00:25:32,432 "Gee, the first interesting guy around here." 491 00:25:32,433 --> 00:25:34,766 And he approached me and he wanted to know, 492 00:25:34,767 --> 00:25:37,699 you know, my phone number. He was going to give a party. 493 00:25:37,700 --> 00:25:41,833 So the next day, when the phone rang and he said: 494 00:25:41,834 --> 00:25:44,666 "This was just the ruse, talking to all of these people. 495 00:25:44,667 --> 00:25:46,966 I have no intention of giving a party. 496 00:25:46,967 --> 00:25:49,799 I just needed to get to you gracefully 497 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,599 and get your information." 498 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,366 He seemed like... To me, like a graduate student 499 00:25:55,367 --> 00:25:58,099 when he looked young, he acted young. 500 00:25:58,100 --> 00:26:01,866 And we fell in love quite quickly. 501 00:26:01,867 --> 00:26:07,232 We talked about our lives and he told me about his family 502 00:26:07,233 --> 00:26:09,199 and his divorce and his children. 503 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,165 And I found out that he was 42 504 00:26:12,166 --> 00:26:14,466 and a full professor here at Princeton 505 00:26:14,467 --> 00:26:17,399 and already quite renowned 506 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:20,099 in his field of high-energy physics. 507 00:26:20,100 --> 00:26:23,032 And I was 21. 508 00:26:23,033 --> 00:26:25,999 It didn't seem like a barrier to us. 509 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:30,299 But people sure, you know, thought it wouldn't work. 510 00:26:30,300 --> 00:26:32,299 In '73, we went to California 511 00:26:32,300 --> 00:26:35,433 for a sabbatical and we got married. 512 00:26:36,934 --> 00:26:39,299 We lived in the Bay Area 513 00:26:39,300 --> 00:26:42,966 and he had become acquainted with gliders. 514 00:26:42,967 --> 00:26:48,499 He just knew he had to learn how to fly and own this airplane. 515 00:26:48,500 --> 00:26:51,199 And he was determined to have it. 516 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:53,165 You know, once we had our own plane, 517 00:26:53,166 --> 00:26:56,199 I mean, he didn't go anywhere without me. 518 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,366 Very, very rarely. 519 00:26:58,367 --> 00:27:01,165 You know, we were a team. 520 00:27:01,166 --> 00:27:02,834 I was his co-pilot. 521 00:27:05,333 --> 00:27:07,833 In the spring of '74, 522 00:27:07,834 --> 00:27:10,332 he decided to have a little conference 523 00:27:10,333 --> 00:27:13,000 to introduce his space ideas. 524 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,933 And the science writer for the New York Times came 525 00:27:17,934 --> 00:27:19,799 and then reported on it. 526 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:23,099 And it was on the front page on the New York Times, 527 00:27:23,100 --> 00:27:25,566 which changed our lives instantly. 528 00:27:25,567 --> 00:27:27,899 We had to delist our phone number, 529 00:27:27,900 --> 00:27:30,099 and it was just crazy. 530 00:27:30,100 --> 00:27:32,367 [♪♪♪] 531 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:54,399 HOST: O'Neill does have a solid reputation 532 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:56,299 as a high-energy physicist. 533 00:27:56,300 --> 00:27:59,332 He is the kind of person NASA listens to. 534 00:27:59,333 --> 00:28:01,667 Not only listens to but funds. 535 00:28:10,066 --> 00:28:11,299 Some serious scientists 536 00:28:11,300 --> 00:28:13,566 are talking about whole colonies in space. 537 00:28:13,567 --> 00:28:15,899 Not on the moon, Mars or Jupiter, 538 00:28:15,900 --> 00:28:17,366 but on man-made planets. 539 00:28:17,367 --> 00:28:20,633 And populated not by scientists and astronauts alone, 540 00:28:20,634 --> 00:28:23,633 but by hundreds of thousands of just plain folks 541 00:28:23,634 --> 00:28:25,833 looking to get away from an overcrowded Earth 542 00:28:25,834 --> 00:28:28,499 running short of energy, water and clean air. 543 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:30,299 Far-fetched? That's what we said 544 00:28:30,300 --> 00:28:32,366 20 years ago about walking on the moon. 545 00:28:32,367 --> 00:28:34,566 Today, nothing seems far-fetched. 546 00:28:34,567 --> 00:28:36,432 NARRATOR: One national magazine after another 547 00:28:36,433 --> 00:28:38,332 became intrigued enough with O'Neill 548 00:28:38,333 --> 00:28:39,866 to print major articles 549 00:28:39,867 --> 00:28:43,199 detailing his ideas in a generally uncritical light. 550 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:45,633 TASHA: So then money came in. 551 00:28:45,634 --> 00:28:48,999 And we said, we need to start an entity 552 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,399 because it can't go through the university. 553 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:53,799 And so that's when 554 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:58,032 the Space Studies Institute was started in '77. 555 00:28:58,033 --> 00:29:01,165 Working with Space Studies Institute and Gerry 556 00:29:01,166 --> 00:29:04,132 caused us to think about all aspects 557 00:29:04,133 --> 00:29:05,899 of human space exploration, 558 00:29:05,900 --> 00:29:10,999 including ethics, economics, environmental issues. 559 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:16,032 Not just how are we gonna do it, but the why. 560 00:29:16,033 --> 00:29:19,499 Dr. O'Neill, when he formed the Space Studies Institute, 561 00:29:19,500 --> 00:29:22,766 did something that was really smart. 562 00:29:22,767 --> 00:29:24,332 He didn't just write a book 563 00:29:24,333 --> 00:29:26,633 about creating this amazing future and go: 564 00:29:26,634 --> 00:29:30,332 "Hey, I wrote the book." You know. "I started it all." 565 00:29:30,333 --> 00:29:32,532 Or, "Didn't happen because I wrote this book 566 00:29:32,533 --> 00:29:33,833 and nobody listened." 567 00:29:33,834 --> 00:29:37,599 He wrote a book, then he formed an institute 568 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:41,366 to manifest what was going on in the book 569 00:29:41,367 --> 00:29:43,532 and draw people 570 00:29:43,533 --> 00:29:47,532 towards actually doing something about the book 571 00:29:47,533 --> 00:29:51,666 so that that tribe that he had created, 572 00:29:51,667 --> 00:29:54,566 that message, that beacon he had thrown out, saying: 573 00:29:54,567 --> 00:29:58,532 "If you believe in this, come in here, join us, 574 00:29:58,533 --> 00:30:00,232 and look around and there's people 575 00:30:00,233 --> 00:30:02,999 who are just as crazy as you are." 576 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:05,599 If you were a professional in the space business, 577 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,733 you are from the military or you are from government. 578 00:30:08,734 --> 00:30:11,966 And the idea that you could be a player 579 00:30:11,967 --> 00:30:14,466 in the space business or the space community 580 00:30:14,467 --> 00:30:17,132 and not be military, not be business, 581 00:30:17,133 --> 00:30:20,633 not be a professor, not be in astronomy, was unusual. 582 00:30:20,634 --> 00:30:23,766 And Space Studies Institute attracted a cross section. 583 00:30:23,767 --> 00:30:25,466 You had young kids, you had... 584 00:30:25,467 --> 00:30:28,633 You had the true visionaries, you had the engineers. 585 00:30:28,634 --> 00:30:32,499 So it was a wonderful time to just free yourself 586 00:30:32,500 --> 00:30:34,866 and say it must be possible 587 00:30:34,867 --> 00:30:38,666 because all these people share with me that it is possible. 588 00:30:38,667 --> 00:30:41,165 In founding SSI, we decided 589 00:30:41,166 --> 00:30:44,265 that we were not going to be a lobbying organization. 590 00:30:44,266 --> 00:30:45,966 There were plenty of those already. 591 00:30:45,967 --> 00:30:49,332 We were not going to argue and be political 592 00:30:49,333 --> 00:30:52,633 about trying to get the federal government to do the job for us. 593 00:30:52,634 --> 00:30:57,132 Instead, the funding would come from the people themselves 594 00:30:57,133 --> 00:30:58,432 who were going to benefit 595 00:30:58,433 --> 00:31:00,799 from the opening of the high frontier. 596 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:02,666 RATHER:: It should come as no surprise 597 00:31:02,667 --> 00:31:05,366 that the people who are the most receptive to this 598 00:31:05,367 --> 00:31:07,132 are the science fiction enthusiasts. 599 00:31:07,133 --> 00:31:10,432 That avid subculture ready to spend time and money 600 00:31:10,433 --> 00:31:11,799 in pursuit of fantasy worlds 601 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:13,666 that capture their imaginations. 602 00:31:13,667 --> 00:31:16,332 O'Neill's book, The High Frontier, 603 00:31:16,333 --> 00:31:18,032 is on sale at one of the booths, 604 00:31:18,033 --> 00:31:21,065 and they are also selling the idea of space colonies. 605 00:31:21,066 --> 00:31:23,032 MAN: Well, this is a proposed habitat. 606 00:31:23,033 --> 00:31:26,799 This is designed by a man named Gerard O'Neill from Princeton, 607 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:30,899 and it could house as many as 10,000 people comfortably. 608 00:31:30,900 --> 00:31:34,699 And those long... You can see long windows on the side. 609 00:31:34,700 --> 00:31:38,499 And those long, straight pieces of metal are actually mirrors 610 00:31:38,500 --> 00:31:41,032 that would focus sunlight onto the inside, 611 00:31:41,033 --> 00:31:42,833 perhaps to grow crops. 612 00:31:42,834 --> 00:31:44,866 RATHER: These are some of the people who would like to see 613 00:31:44,867 --> 00:31:46,466 a space colony in your future. 614 00:31:46,467 --> 00:31:49,733 They call themselves the L-5 Society. 615 00:31:49,734 --> 00:31:51,899 L-5 refers to a point in space 616 00:31:51,900 --> 00:31:53,799 equidistant from the Earth and moon 617 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:55,833 where the space colony might orbit. 618 00:31:55,834 --> 00:32:00,232 Their optimistic slogan is "L-5 in 1995." 619 00:32:00,233 --> 00:32:04,599 TUMLINSON: So you had the L-5 Society starting to go make it happen. 620 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:05,866 This dream was something we bought. 621 00:32:05,867 --> 00:32:09,532 I remember I still own the bumper sticker 622 00:32:09,533 --> 00:32:12,899 that says "L-5 by '95." 623 00:32:12,900 --> 00:32:14,966 We believe we were going to be 624 00:32:14,967 --> 00:32:18,733 building cities in space by 1995. 625 00:32:18,734 --> 00:32:20,065 It was a real thing. 626 00:32:20,066 --> 00:32:23,466 Everyone from L-5 Society who I talked to 627 00:32:23,467 --> 00:32:26,432 was a disciple of Dr. O'Neill. 628 00:32:26,433 --> 00:32:30,332 And that was a whole transformative way 629 00:32:30,333 --> 00:32:31,733 of looking at space. 630 00:32:31,734 --> 00:32:36,766 We had, at that time, nobody to take us to orbit 631 00:32:36,767 --> 00:32:40,699 in a way that was less than a billion dollars a launch. 632 00:32:40,700 --> 00:32:44,099 And it seemed pretty far away and was very compelling 633 00:32:44,100 --> 00:32:47,533 that people, even with that distance... 634 00:32:48,567 --> 00:32:51,833 dropped their careers, followed him, uh... 635 00:32:51,834 --> 00:32:55,633 really gave up a lot of things 636 00:32:55,634 --> 00:33:00,399 in order to try and make this a reality. 637 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:02,999 And that alone struck me, 638 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,032 is there something here that's different? 639 00:33:05,033 --> 00:33:07,132 People are doing this because it's the right thing to do, 640 00:33:07,133 --> 00:33:12,366 not because their own personal wealth depends on it. 641 00:33:12,367 --> 00:33:17,933 So we were a bunch of young, intuitive, you know, punks. 642 00:33:17,934 --> 00:33:20,499 You know, all of us, with different backgrounds 643 00:33:20,500 --> 00:33:22,532 and different inclinations that, you know, 644 00:33:22,533 --> 00:33:25,265 coming to this from very different places, 645 00:33:25,266 --> 00:33:26,833 were all curious kids, 646 00:33:26,834 --> 00:33:31,299 were all, in one way or another, caught up in this idea. 647 00:33:31,300 --> 00:33:35,099 You'd go to an L-5 conference and it was crazy. 648 00:33:35,100 --> 00:33:37,366 You'd have a speaker like Newt Gingrich 649 00:33:37,367 --> 00:33:41,099 and Timothy Leary, you know, and Robert Heinlein, 650 00:33:41,100 --> 00:33:44,432 all in the same place at the same time, 651 00:33:44,433 --> 00:33:46,733 and people that would be characterizable 652 00:33:46,734 --> 00:33:48,566 as followers of all of that. 653 00:33:48,567 --> 00:33:50,833 You'd have the cryo people with the... 654 00:33:50,834 --> 00:33:53,566 You know, "We'll freeze you for eternity" over here, 655 00:33:53,567 --> 00:33:57,599 and you'll have Boeing over here pitching their space projects, 656 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:00,933 all in the same event. It was great. 657 00:34:00,934 --> 00:34:05,232 It was very much a place where you felt comfortable 658 00:34:05,233 --> 00:34:10,432 having this enthusiasm for this effort. 659 00:34:10,433 --> 00:34:14,633 And also, it was a place where you felt comfortable 660 00:34:14,634 --> 00:34:16,666 being who you were. 661 00:34:16,667 --> 00:34:19,366 Ladies and gentlemen, Timothy Leary. 662 00:34:19,367 --> 00:34:21,065 [Applause] 663 00:34:21,066 --> 00:34:22,833 NARRATOR: Yes, it's Timothy Leary. 664 00:34:22,834 --> 00:34:24,466 One-time Harvard professor, 665 00:34:24,467 --> 00:34:27,366 LSD advocate, and revolutionary. 666 00:34:27,367 --> 00:34:28,633 He now has involved himself 667 00:34:28,634 --> 00:34:30,866 in this idea of immigrating to space. 668 00:34:30,867 --> 00:34:32,699 I'm telling you, the best jobs, 669 00:34:32,700 --> 00:34:36,232 young man and young woman, lie in space. 670 00:34:36,233 --> 00:34:37,299 I refer you, of course, 671 00:34:37,300 --> 00:34:40,032 to the work of Gerard O'Neill of Princeton 672 00:34:40,033 --> 00:34:42,899 who is the Christopher Columbus of the space migration movement. 673 00:34:42,900 --> 00:34:45,099 With a show of hands, how many of you 674 00:34:45,100 --> 00:34:48,265 would like to live in space and live forever? 675 00:34:48,266 --> 00:34:52,265 How about it? Hey, there we go. That's incredible, I'd say. 676 00:34:52,266 --> 00:34:54,766 MAN: He's saying that it's happening, that it's gonna happen. 677 00:34:54,767 --> 00:34:56,733 That's all he's saying. His concept is 678 00:34:56,734 --> 00:34:58,232 that these plans will be for... 679 00:34:58,233 --> 00:35:00,332 Say someone's bisexual and a vegetarian, 680 00:35:00,333 --> 00:35:02,833 well, there's a planet that's just made especially for him. 681 00:35:02,834 --> 00:35:05,032 Someone that eats eggs and drinks beer... 682 00:35:05,033 --> 00:35:07,032 Drinks beer, there'll be a planet for them. 683 00:35:07,033 --> 00:35:08,532 There will be a different place 684 00:35:08,533 --> 00:35:10,999 for every kind of person there is, 685 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:12,566 is more or less what he's saying. 686 00:35:12,567 --> 00:35:14,099 We're just exploiting the universe. 687 00:35:14,100 --> 00:35:17,799 For whoever has a habit rather than, you know, changing it, 688 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:20,666 whoever has a different way of lifestyle. 689 00:35:20,667 --> 00:35:22,132 I think it's kind of conceited to think 690 00:35:22,133 --> 00:35:23,799 this is the only place in the universe 691 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:25,132 where people could live. 692 00:35:25,133 --> 00:35:26,499 We, you and I, 693 00:35:26,500 --> 00:35:30,532 are the only people who I ever have the privilege of saying 694 00:35:30,533 --> 00:35:33,566 we explored the solar system first. 695 00:35:33,567 --> 00:35:35,899 I know that Gerry was very interested 696 00:35:35,900 --> 00:35:38,332 in how they would be governed. 697 00:35:38,333 --> 00:35:43,766 And he was thinking a lot about, um... 698 00:35:43,767 --> 00:35:46,199 them being more democratic 699 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:50,432 because they would be like small towns. 700 00:35:50,433 --> 00:35:52,933 And I think he was hoping that 701 00:35:52,934 --> 00:35:55,733 as we moved outward and left the Earth, 702 00:35:55,734 --> 00:35:59,132 we would experiment with new economics, 703 00:35:59,133 --> 00:36:03,132 new politics, new ethics, 704 00:36:03,133 --> 00:36:06,966 and that they would not only be a place for people to live 705 00:36:06,967 --> 00:36:09,867 but to experiment with new ways of being. 706 00:36:15,033 --> 00:36:19,933 Gerry had created this cohesive end-to-end vision 707 00:36:19,934 --> 00:36:22,699 that was compelling and held together, 708 00:36:22,700 --> 00:36:26,199 and it was, for me, something extraordinary. 709 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:30,132 The closest thing I had seen was in the Star Trek universe, 710 00:36:30,133 --> 00:36:32,332 and that was 300 years in the future. 711 00:36:32,333 --> 00:36:34,733 But what Gerry was talking about was something 712 00:36:34,734 --> 00:36:36,799 I could start to play in right now. 713 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:40,432 So we've had some significant victories, 714 00:36:40,433 --> 00:36:42,633 politically, along the way. 715 00:36:42,634 --> 00:36:46,099 But the greatest victory, I think, 716 00:36:46,100 --> 00:36:48,399 that the L-5 Society had, 717 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:49,833 intentionally or not, 718 00:36:49,834 --> 00:36:54,399 was they communicated the vision 719 00:36:54,400 --> 00:36:56,532 to the space intelligentsia, 720 00:36:56,533 --> 00:37:01,299 and specifically to the space intelligentsia in Washington. 721 00:37:01,300 --> 00:37:04,299 We feel that the best way to make sure 722 00:37:04,300 --> 00:37:06,399 that the human movement into space, 723 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:10,065 the breakout from the confines of the planet takes place 724 00:37:10,066 --> 00:37:14,099 is by getting as many players on the stage as possible. 725 00:37:14,100 --> 00:37:16,666 When we publish through the Space Studies Institute 726 00:37:16,667 --> 00:37:20,232 our program plan, it can, of course, be implemented 727 00:37:20,233 --> 00:37:23,366 either by a private consortium or by our own government 728 00:37:23,367 --> 00:37:26,566 or by many governments or some foreign government. 729 00:37:26,567 --> 00:37:29,833 And right now, I don't think we have to make a prediction 730 00:37:29,834 --> 00:37:31,599 as to which way it's gonna happen. 731 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:35,032 The most important thing is that that we make it happen. 732 00:37:35,033 --> 00:37:41,366 The whole point is, each step we take beyond our planet 733 00:37:41,367 --> 00:37:43,799 is a step in awareness. 734 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:45,833 Awareness of ourselves, 735 00:37:45,834 --> 00:37:48,499 awareness of the environment, 736 00:37:48,500 --> 00:37:50,733 and awareness of the whole. 737 00:37:50,734 --> 00:37:55,332 And one of the things that people forget about Gerry's work 738 00:37:55,333 --> 00:37:58,366 is that he was a strong environmentalist. 739 00:37:58,367 --> 00:38:02,099 He had the idea of using solar-powered satellites, 740 00:38:02,100 --> 00:38:04,432 which quite a few people have embraced, 741 00:38:04,433 --> 00:38:05,499 but he supported it, 742 00:38:05,500 --> 00:38:08,466 Space Studies Institute supported it. 743 00:38:08,467 --> 00:38:12,099 [♪♪♪] 744 00:38:12,100 --> 00:38:14,366 There are environmental questions 745 00:38:14,367 --> 00:38:17,265 which I think ought to be attacked very seriously 746 00:38:17,266 --> 00:38:21,099 on that as in all other energy sources. 747 00:38:21,100 --> 00:38:24,399 ASIMOV: Out there in space, the sun is always shining. 748 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:27,499 The full range of the solar spectrum is available. 749 00:38:27,500 --> 00:38:30,699 There is no night, there is no mist, 750 00:38:30,700 --> 00:38:33,566 no clouds, nothing to interfere. 751 00:38:33,567 --> 00:38:35,199 Solar energy can be collected 752 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:38,232 much more efficiently than here on Earth, 753 00:38:38,233 --> 00:38:41,532 and this solar energy can then be beamed down to Earth 754 00:38:41,533 --> 00:38:46,466 as in the form of microwaves so that the future 755 00:38:46,467 --> 00:38:50,899 might eventually see Earth's energy supply 756 00:38:50,900 --> 00:38:55,367 from the sun via a station in space. 757 00:38:59,533 --> 00:39:01,966 NARRATOR: Building such mammoth structures in space 758 00:39:01,967 --> 00:39:04,232 to help solve the energy problems of Earth 759 00:39:04,233 --> 00:39:06,599 was originally the idea of just one man. 760 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:09,366 And when he took his idea to NASA 10 years ago, 761 00:39:09,367 --> 00:39:11,065 they thought he was crazy. 762 00:39:11,066 --> 00:39:15,132 After all, he was a total outsider coming into NASA 763 00:39:15,133 --> 00:39:19,165 talking about a project which, by all counts, 764 00:39:19,166 --> 00:39:23,065 look like the largest space project ever suggested. 765 00:39:23,066 --> 00:39:25,432 So at first they were skeptical. 766 00:39:25,433 --> 00:39:28,032 Can it be done? Should it be done? 767 00:39:28,033 --> 00:39:29,966 You know, the obvious questions. 768 00:39:29,967 --> 00:39:32,032 But I believe that after they... 769 00:39:32,033 --> 00:39:34,299 The first shock sort of wore off, 770 00:39:34,300 --> 00:39:37,599 both in terms of size of the satellite and so on, 771 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:40,065 and they began to get into the details 772 00:39:40,066 --> 00:39:42,032 that are required here, 773 00:39:42,033 --> 00:39:44,933 they recognized what it really could do 774 00:39:44,934 --> 00:39:50,432 and how the technology that the space program has developed 775 00:39:50,433 --> 00:39:51,532 could be applied, 776 00:39:51,533 --> 00:39:56,633 and in a sense, it was an obvious way to go 777 00:39:56,634 --> 00:39:58,165 in order to get the most 778 00:39:58,166 --> 00:40:00,399 out of the experience that we have gained. 779 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:02,966 The whole point about the high frontier of space 780 00:40:02,967 --> 00:40:05,132 is that it's a virtually unlimited resource 781 00:40:05,133 --> 00:40:06,499 of energy and materials. 782 00:40:06,500 --> 00:40:08,232 We're suffering increasing poverty 783 00:40:08,233 --> 00:40:09,699 here on the surface of the Earth 784 00:40:09,700 --> 00:40:12,532 that it'd make sense to go out and begin in using 785 00:40:12,533 --> 00:40:15,499 that wealth of solar energy and of materials. 786 00:40:15,500 --> 00:40:18,065 Energy is a multi-trillion-dollar industry. 787 00:40:18,066 --> 00:40:20,599 All 7 billion people on this planet 788 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:22,666 should have the same standard of living. 789 00:40:22,667 --> 00:40:26,065 We could either do a world of limits and cut everybody back 790 00:40:26,066 --> 00:40:29,532 or we could innovate our way out of it, 791 00:40:29,533 --> 00:40:32,132 with space solar power and how you do that 792 00:40:32,133 --> 00:40:36,199 and that free-market approach of innovation 793 00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:40,132 is a hopeful future that Gerry pointed the way to. 794 00:40:40,133 --> 00:40:43,599 [♪♪♪] 795 00:40:43,600 --> 00:40:46,899 O'NEILL: This will definitely be the great age of pioneering. 796 00:40:46,900 --> 00:40:48,633 Now pioneering really begins. 797 00:40:48,634 --> 00:40:50,466 We're learning how to move out into space, 798 00:40:50,467 --> 00:40:52,332 the problems we're gonna have to solve, 799 00:40:52,333 --> 00:40:56,433 but pretty soon it'll be solved and we'll be out there doing it. 800 00:40:58,834 --> 00:41:00,332 There's a fundamental reason 801 00:41:00,333 --> 00:41:03,532 why Gerry O'Neill's settlements have not been built. 802 00:41:03,533 --> 00:41:05,999 They're too big. 803 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:08,366 They're kilometer-scale, they're enormous. 804 00:41:08,367 --> 00:41:11,232 They're too heavy, they weigh millions of tons. 805 00:41:11,233 --> 00:41:13,833 And they're too far away, they're at lunar distances. 806 00:41:13,834 --> 00:41:16,566 And it turns out you can attack all three of those. 807 00:41:16,567 --> 00:41:20,799 It's possible to make habitats which are relatively big, 808 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:22,933 big enough to be very Earth-like, 809 00:41:22,934 --> 00:41:24,399 out of ordinary materials, 810 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:27,332 like steel and aluminum and glass. 811 00:41:27,333 --> 00:41:29,666 And it's possible to find those materials 812 00:41:29,667 --> 00:41:32,999 in very large quantities on the surface of the moon 813 00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:34,699 and eventually in the asteroids. 814 00:41:34,700 --> 00:41:38,866 Every asteroid over about 150 meters in diameter 815 00:41:38,867 --> 00:41:40,799 is big enough to supply the materials 816 00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:42,699 for a decent-size settlement. 817 00:41:42,700 --> 00:41:46,633 There are thousands of such asteroids in near-Earth orbits. 818 00:41:46,634 --> 00:41:49,466 NARRATOR: O'Neill came up with the idea of a mass driver, 819 00:41:49,467 --> 00:41:51,966 a giant catapult that would accelerate 820 00:41:51,967 --> 00:41:54,199 sacks of lunar rocks in buckets. 821 00:41:54,200 --> 00:41:56,799 The sacks of rocks would be hurled into space. 822 00:41:56,800 --> 00:42:00,533 The buckets would slow and return to be filled again. 823 00:42:02,634 --> 00:42:04,999 The track taken by the sacks of moon rocks 824 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:06,232 would bring them to a point 825 00:42:06,233 --> 00:42:08,199 where they'd be caught, processed 826 00:42:08,200 --> 00:42:11,099 and used to build space colonies. 827 00:42:11,100 --> 00:42:13,633 But there was one flaw in O'Neill's scheme. 828 00:42:13,634 --> 00:42:17,199 He didn't know how to build a mass driver. 829 00:42:17,200 --> 00:42:19,966 But it turned out that one already existed. 830 00:42:19,967 --> 00:42:21,466 Though the moon was the last place 831 00:42:21,467 --> 00:42:23,366 its designers thought of using it. 832 00:42:23,367 --> 00:42:27,733 And moon rocks weren't intended as the cargo, people were. 833 00:42:27,734 --> 00:42:29,132 Once in motion, 834 00:42:29,133 --> 00:42:31,466 the vehicle is lifted on its magnetic cushion 835 00:42:31,467 --> 00:42:34,332 and can travel without friction. 836 00:42:34,333 --> 00:42:37,532 The MIT magneplane project ran out of funding, 837 00:42:37,533 --> 00:42:40,567 but proved just what O'Neill was looking for. 838 00:42:43,967 --> 00:42:48,933 This is a model lunar mass driver being built at MIT. 839 00:42:48,934 --> 00:42:52,799 [♪♪♪] 840 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:55,132 NARRATOR: In a lab at Princeton University, 841 00:42:55,133 --> 00:42:57,432 a working-scale model of the machine 842 00:42:57,433 --> 00:42:59,432 that could solve some of the problems 843 00:42:59,433 --> 00:43:01,866 of large-scale space construction 844 00:43:01,867 --> 00:43:03,232 has been developed. 845 00:43:03,233 --> 00:43:05,933 It is called a mass driver. 846 00:43:05,934 --> 00:43:10,366 Futurist Dr. Gerard O'Neill of the Space Studies Institute. 847 00:43:10,367 --> 00:43:13,366 This is the bucket of a mass driver electric motor. 848 00:43:13,367 --> 00:43:16,599 The bucket carries a payload of lunar material 849 00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:20,432 and it's accelerated by these magnetic coils 850 00:43:20,433 --> 00:43:22,566 with an acceleration that's more than 851 00:43:22,567 --> 00:43:25,899 100 times as fast as the hottest drag racer ever made. 852 00:43:25,900 --> 00:43:27,432 When the bucket and its payload 853 00:43:27,433 --> 00:43:31,199 get to the full speed of 8000 miles per hour, 854 00:43:31,200 --> 00:43:34,332 the payload is released and goes out into space, 855 00:43:34,333 --> 00:43:37,532 and the bucket is recirculated for reuse. 856 00:43:37,533 --> 00:43:40,265 So if you were to look at a mass driver in operation, 857 00:43:40,266 --> 00:43:41,799 you'd see that stream of payloads 858 00:43:41,800 --> 00:43:45,899 like water coming out of a fire hose, off into space. 859 00:43:45,900 --> 00:43:47,634 And this is how it works. 860 00:43:54,200 --> 00:43:57,399 We can use the mass driver as a catapult 861 00:43:57,400 --> 00:43:59,599 to bring thousands of tons per year 862 00:43:59,600 --> 00:44:01,866 of lunar material into space. 863 00:44:01,867 --> 00:44:04,566 There we can process it using solar energy, 864 00:44:04,567 --> 00:44:06,733 into oxygen that we can breathe, 865 00:44:06,734 --> 00:44:09,699 into silicon that we can make into solar cells, 866 00:44:09,700 --> 00:44:13,332 and into big structures, space industries, 867 00:44:13,333 --> 00:44:16,532 space power stations or space colonies. 868 00:44:16,533 --> 00:44:19,399 Yes, it was crazy. Yes, it was science fiction. 869 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:22,566 Yes, it was way out there. But the steps were there. 870 00:44:22,567 --> 00:44:26,466 There was no new physics to be invented. 871 00:44:26,467 --> 00:44:28,499 It just was hard work. 872 00:44:28,500 --> 00:44:31,466 And all of us were willing to do the hard work. 873 00:44:31,467 --> 00:44:36,766 Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, 874 00:44:36,767 --> 00:44:42,933 five, four, three, two, one. Fire. 875 00:44:42,934 --> 00:44:45,266 MAN: Aah! [CROWD MURMURING] 876 00:44:50,467 --> 00:44:53,065 Just a second, folks. I'm gonna calculate 877 00:44:53,066 --> 00:44:55,366 the acceleration on that one right now. 878 00:44:55,367 --> 00:44:56,767 Can we see that again? 879 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:02,332 Derailed? Derailed? It's right here. 880 00:45:02,333 --> 00:45:08,700 Five, four, three, two, one. Go. 881 00:45:16,900 --> 00:45:19,933 Tell you what, I calculated the acceleration. 882 00:45:19,934 --> 00:45:22,232 It seems that we still had some problems. 883 00:45:22,233 --> 00:45:25,532 We only got 33 G's on that shot. 884 00:45:25,533 --> 00:45:27,899 MAN: How many? Just 33. 885 00:45:27,900 --> 00:45:30,532 We'll keep working at it. 886 00:45:30,533 --> 00:45:32,966 O'NEILL: The moon is a source of minerals, 887 00:45:32,967 --> 00:45:35,999 which we know about thanks to the Apollo project. 888 00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:37,532 It's very rich in oxygen, 889 00:45:37,533 --> 00:45:41,165 that's the most popular element in the surface soils. 890 00:45:41,166 --> 00:45:44,099 It's rich in silicon. 891 00:45:44,100 --> 00:45:45,432 It's got lots of aluminum, 892 00:45:45,433 --> 00:45:47,899 lots of iron, titanium, magnesium. 893 00:45:47,900 --> 00:45:50,566 All of the things, in fact, that we need 894 00:45:50,567 --> 00:45:54,566 for many of the products of an industrial civilization. 895 00:45:54,567 --> 00:45:56,199 You can actually, using high heat, 896 00:45:56,200 --> 00:45:59,299 which you can get from the sun because there's no atmosphere, 897 00:45:59,300 --> 00:46:01,165 you can direct sunlight in mirrors, 898 00:46:01,166 --> 00:46:03,265 okay, really thousands of degrees 899 00:46:03,266 --> 00:46:07,165 and melt lunar regolith in containers, 900 00:46:07,166 --> 00:46:09,399 and then the gassing of that 901 00:46:09,400 --> 00:46:11,933 creates water, creates other chemicals, 902 00:46:11,934 --> 00:46:14,466 other elements that you can use for rocket fuel, 903 00:46:14,467 --> 00:46:16,232 for all kinds of things like that. 904 00:46:16,233 --> 00:46:17,799 So you can literally take the dirt 905 00:46:17,800 --> 00:46:19,933 and melt it into the core elements you want. 906 00:46:19,934 --> 00:46:24,499 I think what's unique about the opening of the high frontier 907 00:46:24,500 --> 00:46:26,699 is that that program can benefit 908 00:46:26,700 --> 00:46:30,132 personally and directly and measurably 909 00:46:30,133 --> 00:46:32,399 every human being on Earth. 910 00:46:32,400 --> 00:46:36,599 I wanna reflect what Gerry has brought to us, 911 00:46:36,600 --> 00:46:40,065 which is to let everybody realize 912 00:46:40,066 --> 00:46:42,733 they can get involved in this. 913 00:46:42,734 --> 00:46:45,065 People will come back down with a completely new understanding 914 00:46:45,066 --> 00:46:46,966 of everything that's happening on our planet. 915 00:46:46,967 --> 00:46:49,799 From the environment, politics, the humanitarian issues, 916 00:46:49,800 --> 00:46:52,966 to even... To even their place in their local communities. 917 00:46:52,967 --> 00:46:57,799 WOMAN: What can the average person do to help open space? 918 00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:00,599 O'NEILL: I'd say a general thing is to work very hard 919 00:47:00,600 --> 00:47:03,733 at the thing that you think you're best suited for. 920 00:47:03,734 --> 00:47:06,933 If you're a natural artist or a natural musician, 921 00:47:06,934 --> 00:47:09,332 don't try to turn yourself into a scientist 922 00:47:09,333 --> 00:47:10,766 if you're not meant to be. 923 00:47:10,767 --> 00:47:14,399 But just be the best possible artist or musician. 924 00:47:14,400 --> 00:47:18,499 Space isn't something that's just the engineers show up to. 925 00:47:18,500 --> 00:47:21,232 You know, this is something for artists 926 00:47:21,233 --> 00:47:22,933 and writers and business people 927 00:47:22,934 --> 00:47:27,566 and finance and whatever you can do to inspire people. 928 00:47:27,567 --> 00:47:28,966 And there's so many different ways 929 00:47:28,967 --> 00:47:30,566 that people get involved in all of this, 930 00:47:30,567 --> 00:47:32,432 and so you've seen a whole generation 931 00:47:32,433 --> 00:47:34,799 inspired by, I think, by this whole idea 932 00:47:34,800 --> 00:47:38,166 that it is bigger than... Bigger than something than us. 933 00:47:39,467 --> 00:47:41,734 [♪♪♪] 934 00:47:44,133 --> 00:47:48,566 This is what began my interest in space colonies. 935 00:47:48,567 --> 00:47:50,866 This is a story in the local newspaper. 936 00:47:50,867 --> 00:47:53,899 That lit a fire in me. It struck my imagination. 937 00:47:53,900 --> 00:47:57,833 And so I sought out Gerry, I found out where he was, 938 00:47:57,834 --> 00:48:00,666 telephoned him and told him I was an artist, 939 00:48:00,667 --> 00:48:04,666 that I wanted to do a painting of a space colony idea. 940 00:48:04,667 --> 00:48:08,733 And so we would telephone and mail stuff back and forth. 941 00:48:08,734 --> 00:48:12,633 And I did my first painting of a space colony subject 942 00:48:12,634 --> 00:48:14,799 and it was of the giant cylinder. 943 00:48:14,800 --> 00:48:19,065 I did a painting looking down the long axis of the cylinder, 944 00:48:19,066 --> 00:48:23,499 and I picked an unusual lighting condition. 945 00:48:23,500 --> 00:48:26,532 I put the space colony in the Earth's shadow 946 00:48:26,533 --> 00:48:29,366 just as the moon goes during a lunar eclipse. 947 00:48:29,367 --> 00:48:31,566 And so the lighting was very red, 948 00:48:31,567 --> 00:48:33,666 and it was the light all of the sunrises 949 00:48:33,667 --> 00:48:36,799 and sunsets taking place on the Earth at that moment. 950 00:48:36,800 --> 00:48:38,966 And so it was an unusual lighting, 951 00:48:38,967 --> 00:48:40,733 it was kind of a whimsical choice, 952 00:48:40,734 --> 00:48:44,733 but that was my first colony painting. 953 00:48:44,734 --> 00:48:47,499 I asked Gerry, "What do you think 954 00:48:47,500 --> 00:48:48,966 the interior should be like? 955 00:48:48,967 --> 00:48:51,532 What kind of surroundings do you think 956 00:48:51,533 --> 00:48:54,399 people would like to make for themselves?" 957 00:48:54,400 --> 00:48:57,866 His vision was looking down on Sausalito 958 00:48:57,867 --> 00:49:00,232 from the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge 959 00:49:00,233 --> 00:49:04,599 at the houses, the buildings, very much next to the ocean 960 00:49:04,600 --> 00:49:06,432 with some sailing ships and stuff, 961 00:49:06,433 --> 00:49:07,799 little boats going around. 962 00:49:07,800 --> 00:49:09,933 Gerry just did a quick sketch here 963 00:49:09,934 --> 00:49:11,766 showing the sunlight paths 964 00:49:11,767 --> 00:49:14,366 where the heavier lines are land surfaces 965 00:49:14,367 --> 00:49:18,666 and the smaller ones are... Narrower ones are the windows. 966 00:49:18,667 --> 00:49:20,699 There's a side view showing the path 967 00:49:20,700 --> 00:49:22,866 of the light into the interior. 968 00:49:22,867 --> 00:49:25,633 Gerry had a dream of going into space. 969 00:49:25,634 --> 00:49:28,399 He was a dreamer. He listened to Buck Rogers 970 00:49:28,400 --> 00:49:29,966 when he was a kid and he would... 971 00:49:29,967 --> 00:49:33,933 Oh, my God, he was such a devotee of the Star Trek. 972 00:49:33,934 --> 00:49:36,599 He watched every episode for years. 973 00:49:36,600 --> 00:49:38,265 And then Apollo. 974 00:49:38,266 --> 00:49:41,799 I mean, he really was inspired by the Apollo mission. 975 00:49:41,800 --> 00:49:43,232 NARRATOR: NASA has been exploiting 976 00:49:43,233 --> 00:49:45,633 its newly discovered Star Trek connection 977 00:49:45,634 --> 00:49:48,466 in its astronaut recruitment drive. 978 00:49:48,467 --> 00:49:50,933 Hi. I'm Nichelle Nichols. 979 00:49:50,934 --> 00:49:53,566 But I still feel a little bit like Lieutenant Uhura 980 00:49:53,567 --> 00:49:55,265 in the starship Enterprise. 981 00:49:55,266 --> 00:49:57,999 You know, now there's a 20th-century Enterprise. 982 00:49:58,000 --> 00:50:01,899 I'm speaking to the whole family of humankind, 983 00:50:01,900 --> 00:50:03,999 minorities and women alike. 984 00:50:04,000 --> 00:50:07,399 If you qualify and would like to be an astronaut, 985 00:50:07,400 --> 00:50:09,165 now is the time. 986 00:50:09,166 --> 00:50:12,466 NARRATOR: Over 8000 people have applied to be shuttle astronauts 987 00:50:12,467 --> 00:50:16,999 from which NASA is selecting some 200 for further training. 988 00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:22,332 TASHA: In 1966, NASA wanted to have some scientist astronauts. 989 00:50:22,333 --> 00:50:25,866 He applied and he went through the whole program, 990 00:50:25,867 --> 00:50:28,532 the whole... All the rigorous, grueling 991 00:50:28,533 --> 00:50:31,132 physical and psychological tests. 992 00:50:31,133 --> 00:50:32,799 And he was a finalist. 993 00:50:32,800 --> 00:50:37,933 He was ready to quit Princeton when his hopes were dashed, 994 00:50:37,934 --> 00:50:41,099 and Deke Slayton called him up one day 995 00:50:41,100 --> 00:50:42,699 and said, "Sorry, Gerry, 996 00:50:42,700 --> 00:50:46,299 Congress has just reduced the funding." 997 00:50:46,300 --> 00:50:49,199 He was actually glad that it hadn't worked out for him 998 00:50:49,200 --> 00:50:52,065 because he always said, "I wouldn't have met you 999 00:50:52,066 --> 00:50:56,966 and I wouldn't have started the space colonization program. 1000 00:50:56,967 --> 00:50:59,599 So I left a much greater legacy 1001 00:50:59,600 --> 00:51:02,132 than if I had been an astronaut." 1002 00:51:02,133 --> 00:51:05,899 The U.S. government at that time 1003 00:51:05,900 --> 00:51:11,299 has this great hope that's coming called the space shuttle. 1004 00:51:11,300 --> 00:51:13,499 This big white space vehicle 1005 00:51:13,500 --> 00:51:15,966 that's gonna carry us into space. 1006 00:51:15,967 --> 00:51:20,232 MAN 1: I was wondering, if the Saturn V was so good, 1007 00:51:20,233 --> 00:51:23,366 why did they discontinue it? That's a... 1008 00:51:23,367 --> 00:51:24,966 MAN 2: We'd like to know the answer to that. 1009 00:51:24,967 --> 00:51:26,866 I could go on two hours on that one. 1010 00:51:26,867 --> 00:51:30,032 It was a darn good question. It was a highly political issue. 1011 00:51:30,033 --> 00:51:32,499 There were people within NASA 1012 00:51:32,500 --> 00:51:35,599 and some people in other parts of the federal government 1013 00:51:35,600 --> 00:51:37,232 who very much wanted to develop 1014 00:51:37,233 --> 00:51:40,699 a highly experimental space vehicle, the shuttle. 1015 00:51:40,700 --> 00:51:43,466 [♪♪♪] 1016 00:51:43,467 --> 00:51:46,733 NARRATOR: After Apollo, America's space agency, NASA, 1017 00:51:46,734 --> 00:51:48,165 turned its attention to building 1018 00:51:48,166 --> 00:51:50,699 the world's first reusable spacecraft. 1019 00:51:50,700 --> 00:51:52,399 Originals plans called for a shuttle 1020 00:51:52,400 --> 00:51:55,232 to be composed of two separate manned vehicles. 1021 00:51:55,233 --> 00:51:58,466 The first would be a huge but reusable rocket plane 1022 00:51:58,467 --> 00:52:00,399 to boost the shuttle into orbit. 1023 00:52:00,400 --> 00:52:01,733 The manned rocket launcher 1024 00:52:01,734 --> 00:52:03,999 would then return to the launch site. 1025 00:52:04,000 --> 00:52:06,432 Budget constraints altered this plan 1026 00:52:06,433 --> 00:52:07,799 and a compromise was made. 1027 00:52:07,800 --> 00:52:09,866 The manned rocket launcher was dropped. 1028 00:52:09,867 --> 00:52:12,332 Instead, two reusable rocket boosters 1029 00:52:12,333 --> 00:52:16,866 and a large throwaway external fuel tank were designed. 1030 00:52:16,867 --> 00:52:21,332 [Alexander courage's "theme from Star Trek" playing] 1031 00:52:21,333 --> 00:52:25,232 NARRATOR: Space, the final frontier. 1032 00:52:25,233 --> 00:52:29,499 These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. 1033 00:52:29,500 --> 00:52:30,866 Its five-year mission: 1034 00:52:30,867 --> 00:52:34,199 To explore strange new worlds. 1035 00:52:34,200 --> 00:52:38,132 To seek out new life and new civilizations. 1036 00:52:38,133 --> 00:52:41,800 To boldly go where no man has gone before. 1037 00:52:45,567 --> 00:52:49,766 NARRATOR: This is the first voyage of the space shuttle Enterprise. 1038 00:52:49,767 --> 00:52:52,399 Its mission: To make leaving the Earth 1039 00:52:52,400 --> 00:52:54,332 as easy as flying around it. 1040 00:52:54,333 --> 00:52:57,999 To begin the economic exploitation of space. 1041 00:52:58,000 --> 00:53:00,500 To open up the final frontier. 1042 00:53:02,166 --> 00:53:04,199 NARRATOR: By the time the shuttle is rolled out 1043 00:53:04,200 --> 00:53:05,966 for its first powered flight, 1044 00:53:05,967 --> 00:53:09,799 it is two years late and $1 billion over budget. 1045 00:53:09,800 --> 00:53:11,833 TUMLINSON: Now, during the 1970s, 1046 00:53:11,834 --> 00:53:15,265 as it was being sold to the public and Congress... 1047 00:53:15,266 --> 00:53:16,499 the space shuttle 1048 00:53:16,500 --> 00:53:20,599 was supposed to fly 50, five-zero, times a year. 1049 00:53:20,600 --> 00:53:25,999 It was gonna make the cost of going into space $100 a pound. 1050 00:53:26,000 --> 00:53:27,799 Now, think about that for a second. 1051 00:53:27,800 --> 00:53:30,366 $100 a pound, 50 flights a year, 1052 00:53:30,367 --> 00:53:33,566 you can start to do stuff in space. 1053 00:53:33,567 --> 00:53:36,032 Put all these pieces together 1054 00:53:36,033 --> 00:53:40,999 and Dr. O'Neill rolls out this book called The High Frontier 1055 00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:44,467 that shows how to do it, step by step... 1056 00:53:45,700 --> 00:53:47,199 and it's go time. 1057 00:53:47,200 --> 00:53:50,633 What we found out, though, as the shuttle began to fly, 1058 00:53:50,634 --> 00:53:52,933 was that we were sold a bill of goods, 1059 00:53:52,934 --> 00:53:55,532 and we bought it, lock, stock and barrel, 1060 00:53:55,533 --> 00:53:57,699 because we needed to believe. 1061 00:53:57,700 --> 00:54:01,232 We wanted that dream so badly. 1062 00:54:01,233 --> 00:54:06,232 You know, you're not going to get to a... 1063 00:54:06,233 --> 00:54:09,699 A free enterprise human community in space 1064 00:54:09,700 --> 00:54:12,165 through a massive government program. 1065 00:54:12,166 --> 00:54:18,733 Reagan was like a movie star and believed in this stuff. 1066 00:54:18,734 --> 00:54:22,032 Right? He'd been in Westerns, he was this kind of guy, right? 1067 00:54:22,033 --> 00:54:23,332 He's looking at this frontier 1068 00:54:23,333 --> 00:54:25,199 and he's like, "Yeah, let's do that." 1069 00:54:25,200 --> 00:54:28,032 I think he really believed in this stuff. 1070 00:54:28,033 --> 00:54:30,132 So Reagan signs the Space Settlement Act 1071 00:54:30,133 --> 00:54:32,833 and now we've got a law... 1072 00:54:32,834 --> 00:54:38,699 that tells NASA they have to report every year 1073 00:54:38,700 --> 00:54:40,399 on the progress they're making 1074 00:54:40,400 --> 00:54:44,399 towards the human settlement of space. 1075 00:54:44,400 --> 00:54:47,566 This makes them crazy. 1076 00:54:47,567 --> 00:54:51,099 The space shuttle turned out to be one of the most expensive 1077 00:54:51,100 --> 00:54:53,399 and poorly functioning programs 1078 00:54:53,400 --> 00:54:56,899 in the history of American technical development. 1079 00:54:56,900 --> 00:54:59,466 But NASA never wanted to admit that, 1080 00:54:59,467 --> 00:55:02,966 so they had big celebrations about how many times it flew 1081 00:55:02,967 --> 00:55:04,432 and they never acknowledged 1082 00:55:04,433 --> 00:55:08,599 that it completely failed to meet its initial goals. 1083 00:55:08,600 --> 00:55:12,566 When you go to a big scale, like he was talking about, 1084 00:55:12,567 --> 00:55:16,299 this has to succeed or else it really will kill the whole field 1085 00:55:16,300 --> 00:55:20,366 and that, politically, that makes it very difficult. 1086 00:55:20,367 --> 00:55:24,165 And then most of the big NASA programs have that problem. 1087 00:55:24,166 --> 00:55:27,065 I think about how we've gotten to this wonderful point 1088 00:55:27,066 --> 00:55:29,199 that we're at in America 1089 00:55:29,200 --> 00:55:32,132 and across the planet in the exploration of space, 1090 00:55:32,133 --> 00:55:33,532 I think about that a lot. 1091 00:55:33,533 --> 00:55:37,232 And certainly in the '80s was the first attempt. 1092 00:55:37,233 --> 00:55:41,332 And you had a couple of ingredients coming together 1093 00:55:41,333 --> 00:55:45,165 and it was alive from the beginning 1094 00:55:45,166 --> 00:55:47,933 in that it was all based on the reliability 1095 00:55:47,934 --> 00:55:49,733 of the space shuttle program. 1096 00:55:49,734 --> 00:55:51,232 And the concept that this... 1097 00:55:51,233 --> 00:55:55,165 We would get to space in a truck is what we called it, 1098 00:55:55,166 --> 00:55:57,399 and that it would go to and from space 1099 00:55:57,400 --> 00:56:00,366 50 times a year and it would be low-cost. 1100 00:56:00,367 --> 00:56:02,399 Well, that frees up the mind to say: 1101 00:56:02,400 --> 00:56:04,199 "Okay, this is all possible." 1102 00:56:04,200 --> 00:56:08,165 And because of that, because of that mistake, 1103 00:56:08,166 --> 00:56:10,566 a number of things came together. 1104 00:56:10,567 --> 00:56:14,866 And the importance, in hindsight, of the '80s 1105 00:56:14,867 --> 00:56:17,399 was not space shuttle program, 1106 00:56:17,400 --> 00:56:21,032 it was almost not even the Apollo program, 1107 00:56:21,033 --> 00:56:25,499 it was that we were allowed to dream in the '80s 1108 00:56:25,500 --> 00:56:27,833 which led to the advances we've gotten 1109 00:56:27,834 --> 00:56:29,833 in the '90s and the new century. 1110 00:56:29,834 --> 00:56:33,065 NASA is the foundation of everything 1111 00:56:33,066 --> 00:56:35,165 that's going on now today too, 1112 00:56:35,166 --> 00:56:36,833 and so I think we're reaching 1113 00:56:36,834 --> 00:56:40,399 somewhat of an equilibrium of balance. 1114 00:56:40,400 --> 00:56:44,532 We decided at NASA to partner with industry in new ways 1115 00:56:44,533 --> 00:56:47,933 and utilize space act agreements to do launches. 1116 00:56:47,934 --> 00:56:50,099 The space shuttle retired because it costs 1117 00:56:50,100 --> 00:56:53,132 multiple billions of dollars a year to operate 1118 00:56:53,133 --> 00:56:54,766 and it was through its useful service. 1119 00:56:54,767 --> 00:56:59,399 After 30 years, it had launched amazing satellites to space 1120 00:56:59,400 --> 00:57:01,666 including things like the Hubble Space Telescope 1121 00:57:01,667 --> 00:57:03,866 and it had built the International Space Station. 1122 00:57:03,867 --> 00:57:05,265 We don't need the space shuttle 1123 00:57:05,266 --> 00:57:07,232 and the billions of dollars to be spent 1124 00:57:07,233 --> 00:57:09,999 on just the transportation part of going out 1125 00:57:10,000 --> 00:57:12,265 about our space exploration work, 1126 00:57:12,266 --> 00:57:14,299 so we're going to be buying rights 1127 00:57:14,300 --> 00:57:16,866 from commercial industry in the future. 1128 00:57:16,867 --> 00:57:18,532 The direction that we must go 1129 00:57:18,533 --> 00:57:23,466 is toward a more sophisticated, more intelligent technologies, 1130 00:57:23,467 --> 00:57:27,899 not a retreat into old-fashioned 19th-century technologies 1131 00:57:27,900 --> 00:57:29,332 which are less energy efficient, 1132 00:57:29,333 --> 00:57:32,733 more polluting, and serve people more poorly. 1133 00:57:32,734 --> 00:57:36,999 I think the future is incredibly bright and optimistic 1134 00:57:37,000 --> 00:57:38,466 for this industry, 1135 00:57:38,467 --> 00:57:41,366 and that space is really the place to be doing business 1136 00:57:41,367 --> 00:57:42,833 and to focus your attention. 1137 00:57:42,834 --> 00:57:44,332 Our economy's gonna be changing, 1138 00:57:44,333 --> 00:57:46,132 it's changed throughout our history. 1139 00:57:46,133 --> 00:57:48,232 Space is where we're gonna grow as a nation. 1140 00:57:48,233 --> 00:57:52,032 Gerry was such a holistic thinker 1141 00:57:52,033 --> 00:57:55,866 in that he had a clear vision. 1142 00:57:55,867 --> 00:57:57,399 He wrote that in a book, 1143 00:57:57,400 --> 00:58:00,366 he created the engineering architecture. 1144 00:58:00,367 --> 00:58:04,633 And then when he realized that very few people out there 1145 00:58:04,634 --> 00:58:06,699 would actually fund this 1146 00:58:06,700 --> 00:58:09,833 because it was so risky, it was so crazy, 1147 00:58:09,834 --> 00:58:12,532 he ended up creating Geostar, 1148 00:58:12,533 --> 00:58:16,966 which was the potential for what we now call GPS. 1149 00:58:16,967 --> 00:58:19,132 Every company that Gerry founded 1150 00:58:19,133 --> 00:58:24,265 was based on something that he invented 1151 00:58:24,266 --> 00:58:28,332 or something that triggered his thought process 1152 00:58:28,333 --> 00:58:31,299 that something should be improved. 1153 00:58:31,300 --> 00:58:35,165 Geostar was founded because there was a... 1154 00:58:35,166 --> 00:58:37,132 The plane crash in San Diego 1155 00:58:37,133 --> 00:58:41,032 between a small plane and an airliner in... 1156 00:58:41,033 --> 00:58:43,466 On a day when it was just beautiful 1157 00:58:43,467 --> 00:58:46,265 and they should have seen each other, and they crashed. 1158 00:58:46,266 --> 00:58:48,599 And as a fellow pilot, he just thought, 1159 00:58:48,600 --> 00:58:50,966 you know, something needs to be done. 1160 00:58:50,967 --> 00:58:53,600 You need to have a warning system. 1161 00:58:54,500 --> 00:58:58,299 So he invented the precursor to GPS. 1162 00:58:58,300 --> 00:59:00,866 And Geostar was, for all intents and purposes, 1163 00:59:00,867 --> 00:59:06,265 this extraordinary near-term economic engine 1164 00:59:06,266 --> 00:59:10,634 that could power all of Gerry's dreams. 1165 00:59:11,767 --> 00:59:14,332 Just so close. 1166 00:59:14,333 --> 00:59:16,132 You know, had it only happened, 1167 00:59:16,133 --> 00:59:18,399 I think we'd be on the moon right now 1168 00:59:18,400 --> 00:59:20,332 implementing Gerry's visions. 1169 00:59:20,333 --> 00:59:22,399 After Geostar, 1170 00:59:22,400 --> 00:59:26,866 after he was sort of ousted and Geostar went under, 1171 00:59:26,867 --> 00:59:29,566 that was just a real tragedy. 1172 00:59:29,567 --> 00:59:35,432 He'd really thought, you know, that company could make it big. 1173 00:59:35,433 --> 00:59:40,366 But we had decided we didn't want that wealth, you know. 1174 00:59:40,367 --> 00:59:43,667 And he was weak because he was sick. 1175 00:59:48,333 --> 00:59:52,833 So this was 1985, we were happy, 1176 00:59:52,834 --> 00:59:54,566 we had a 5-year-old, 1177 00:59:54,567 --> 01:00:00,099 um, and Gerry was supposed to have a hernia repair. 1178 01:00:00,100 --> 01:00:03,999 And out of the blue, I got this call 1179 01:00:04,000 --> 01:00:05,899 that, you know, "Your husband can't have 1180 01:00:05,900 --> 01:00:10,132 the hernia operation tomorrow because he's got leukemia." 1181 01:00:10,133 --> 01:00:11,299 So... 1182 01:00:11,300 --> 01:00:14,532 And that was just shattering. 1183 01:00:14,533 --> 01:00:17,332 You know, we cried together. We cried separately. 1184 01:00:17,333 --> 01:00:22,899 We tried to shield Edward from the disaster 1185 01:00:22,900 --> 01:00:25,032 that struck the family. 1186 01:00:25,033 --> 01:00:26,300 And... 1187 01:00:27,934 --> 01:00:29,499 given him 18 months to live, 1188 01:00:29,500 --> 01:00:33,466 and so we kind of passed that threshold. 1189 01:00:33,467 --> 01:00:38,799 And we decided that he needed an office at home 1190 01:00:38,800 --> 01:00:43,366 so that he could interact with his office, 1191 01:00:43,367 --> 01:00:46,399 the Geostar office at the time, 1192 01:00:46,400 --> 01:00:50,866 and be in isolation when he needed to be. 1193 01:00:50,867 --> 01:00:56,500 And so we then decide to... 1194 01:00:58,533 --> 01:01:03,500 give him this room where he went into isolation 1195 01:01:04,367 --> 01:01:08,833 when he couldn't be at the office. 1196 01:01:08,834 --> 01:01:11,265 Whew! That was rough. 1197 01:01:11,266 --> 01:01:14,466 I mean, you really got the brunt of it. 1198 01:01:14,467 --> 01:01:16,766 You know, you would tell us you're under stress, 1199 01:01:16,767 --> 01:01:17,766 but you wouldn't... 1200 01:01:17,767 --> 01:01:19,265 You didn't go on and on about it. 1201 01:01:19,266 --> 01:01:20,432 You don't have a choice. 1202 01:01:20,433 --> 01:01:22,999 You have a little kid. I know. Right. 1203 01:01:23,000 --> 01:01:27,432 We cried and we took turns crying. 1204 01:01:27,433 --> 01:01:30,766 And, you know, putting up the good front for Edward, 1205 01:01:30,767 --> 01:01:34,299 and then one and the other one would go and cry 1206 01:01:34,300 --> 01:01:37,833 until we had finally wrapped our heads around it. 1207 01:01:37,834 --> 01:01:43,065 But it was so cruel to find it all out, you know. 1208 01:01:43,066 --> 01:01:45,567 And... Anyway... 1209 01:01:47,467 --> 01:01:52,332 We tried to live our lives as normally as we could. 1210 01:01:52,333 --> 01:01:56,099 And we made plans and sometimes they were canceled 1211 01:01:56,100 --> 01:01:57,265 because he got a fever 1212 01:01:57,266 --> 01:01:59,566 and which meant it was an infection 1213 01:01:59,567 --> 01:02:01,466 and off he'd go to the hospital. 1214 01:02:01,467 --> 01:02:05,633 And as soon as he had a room, he would say, you know, 1215 01:02:05,634 --> 01:02:07,599 "Now bring me my laptop," 1216 01:02:07,600 --> 01:02:10,866 and whatever else he was working on. 1217 01:02:10,867 --> 01:02:13,799 And then he'd sit in bed with his IV 1218 01:02:13,800 --> 01:02:17,833 and started working and inventing and so on. 1219 01:02:17,834 --> 01:02:20,265 I mean, he was also driven at that time 1220 01:02:20,266 --> 01:02:23,633 because he really needed to leave a legacy. 1221 01:02:23,634 --> 01:02:25,599 And he wanted to accomplish more, 1222 01:02:25,600 --> 01:02:28,532 and he did more in those seven years of illness 1223 01:02:28,533 --> 01:02:31,899 than a lot of people did in a whole lifetime. 1224 01:02:31,900 --> 01:02:34,366 When Gerry got ill, 1225 01:02:34,367 --> 01:02:36,734 unless you knew, you didn't know. 1226 01:02:38,500 --> 01:02:41,033 He was very private about it. 1227 01:02:43,600 --> 01:02:45,599 I'm willing to bet most of the people 1228 01:02:45,600 --> 01:02:48,899 around him didn't know for the longest time he was ill. 1229 01:02:48,900 --> 01:02:51,265 He gave us hope. 1230 01:02:51,266 --> 01:02:55,799 You know, he created a huge movement... 1231 01:02:55,800 --> 01:02:57,633 uh... 1232 01:02:57,634 --> 01:03:00,433 with an interesting cast of characters. 1233 01:03:01,700 --> 01:03:05,132 And a lot... So a lot of good things have come out of it. 1234 01:03:05,133 --> 01:03:07,999 In all the things that Gerry did, 1235 01:03:08,000 --> 01:03:13,766 he was still very much a human, very much a loving family man, 1236 01:03:13,767 --> 01:03:18,099 so you don't have someone who just lived the dream 1237 01:03:18,100 --> 01:03:22,366 exclusive of having a full and complete life. 1238 01:03:22,367 --> 01:03:24,899 And, boy, what a great model. 1239 01:03:24,900 --> 01:03:31,799 He was just starting this new project, full of enthusiasm, 1240 01:03:31,800 --> 01:03:36,099 and then he just got sicker and sicker and... 1241 01:03:36,100 --> 01:03:40,133 And in the end, he had to give up, and it was a terribly 1242 01:03:42,200 --> 01:03:44,834 sad time for him and for me and... 1243 01:03:46,433 --> 01:03:48,733 And for Tasha. 1244 01:03:48,734 --> 01:03:52,432 Our 19th anniversary, he got his final... 1245 01:03:52,433 --> 01:03:54,633 Fatal, final illness. 1246 01:03:54,634 --> 01:03:59,132 And then we brought him back to San Carlos, 1247 01:03:59,133 --> 01:04:02,466 and he went into the hospital in Redwood City. 1248 01:04:02,467 --> 01:04:07,199 And his condition just got worse and worse. 1249 01:04:07,200 --> 01:04:09,633 And he was then on life support. 1250 01:04:09,634 --> 01:04:12,699 And the family all got together, all four kids. 1251 01:04:12,700 --> 01:04:16,532 And we had to decide when to pull the plug. 1252 01:04:16,533 --> 01:04:18,866 And I remember you saying, 1253 01:04:18,867 --> 01:04:21,199 you know, "I have a voice in this family too." 1254 01:04:21,200 --> 01:04:22,966 ELEANOR: That was so great. EDWARD: I do remember that. 1255 01:04:22,967 --> 01:04:25,399 We had a whole big family circle. We did. 1256 01:04:25,400 --> 01:04:26,866 And we were making the decision, 1257 01:04:26,867 --> 01:04:28,899 and then you said that. That was great. 1258 01:04:28,900 --> 01:04:32,532 And then Edward gave Gerry permission to die. 1259 01:04:32,533 --> 01:04:35,199 Which, it still tears me up. 1260 01:04:35,200 --> 01:04:36,833 Yeah. Yeah. 1261 01:04:36,834 --> 01:04:39,666 The next day was my birthday, 1262 01:04:39,667 --> 01:04:42,800 so we decided to do it the day before. 1263 01:04:43,934 --> 01:04:48,366 And the doctors had said I shouldn't be present 1264 01:04:48,367 --> 01:04:51,033 because they didn't know how he would react. 1265 01:04:52,333 --> 01:04:53,800 So I wasn't. 1266 01:04:55,467 --> 01:04:58,767 And I'm forever sorry that I wasn't. 1267 01:05:00,667 --> 01:05:05,032 There's this one statement that I found, um, 1268 01:05:05,033 --> 01:05:08,566 which is sort of typical Gerry and if I may read that. 1269 01:05:08,567 --> 01:05:09,566 Yeah, of course. 1270 01:05:09,567 --> 01:05:11,432 "I hope at the end of my life, 1271 01:05:11,433 --> 01:05:14,332 I can look back on work honestly done 1272 01:05:14,333 --> 01:05:16,934 and on fair dealings with others." 1273 01:05:28,166 --> 01:05:30,966 When he passed away, um, 1274 01:05:30,967 --> 01:05:32,999 we were in the business at that point 1275 01:05:33,000 --> 01:05:35,766 of memorializing people with space flights, 1276 01:05:35,767 --> 01:05:38,299 and Tasha had sent me a note saying: 1277 01:05:38,300 --> 01:05:40,032 "Well, we'd promised Gerry 1278 01:05:40,033 --> 01:05:42,599 to scatter his ashes on a space colony 1279 01:05:42,600 --> 01:05:44,933 and I think that may take a little while, 1280 01:05:44,934 --> 01:05:48,666 so could you fly him on one of your missions?" 1281 01:05:48,667 --> 01:05:51,499 And we were honored to have him on our very first flight. 1282 01:05:51,500 --> 01:05:53,699 And we had on board Gene Roddenberry, 1283 01:05:53,700 --> 01:05:55,733 the creator of Star Trek, 1284 01:05:55,734 --> 01:05:58,899 the '60s icon, Dr. Timothy Leary, 1285 01:05:58,900 --> 01:06:03,532 and launched into space in April of 1997, 1286 01:06:03,533 --> 01:06:06,566 orbited the Earth for about 10 years, 1287 01:06:06,567 --> 01:06:09,933 and then reentered the spacecraft 1288 01:06:09,934 --> 01:06:12,432 with his and everyone else's ashes, 1289 01:06:12,433 --> 01:06:14,866 and, of course, burned up in entirety, 1290 01:06:14,867 --> 01:06:18,966 sort of an ashes to ashes tribute to him. 1291 01:06:18,967 --> 01:06:22,032 Space travel is a challenge. 1292 01:06:22,033 --> 01:06:26,099 It's a battle against the universe and the unknown. 1293 01:06:26,100 --> 01:06:28,733 And what we're leaving behind is war. 1294 01:06:28,734 --> 01:06:29,999 So we are alive, 1295 01:06:30,000 --> 01:06:33,699 just got to go out and see the universe, 1296 01:06:33,700 --> 01:06:37,599 and take life from Earth and make the future. 1297 01:06:37,600 --> 01:06:39,866 That's what our future has got to be. 1298 01:06:39,867 --> 01:06:42,166 And my spirit will go with you. 1299 01:06:45,433 --> 01:06:46,699 I was really worried 1300 01:06:46,700 --> 01:06:49,999 that O'Neill's influence and his greatness 1301 01:06:50,000 --> 01:06:53,232 has not been publicly understood. 1302 01:06:53,233 --> 01:06:56,833 But then somebody with the wherewithal of Jeff Bezos 1303 01:06:56,834 --> 01:07:00,232 actually tries to implement it. 1304 01:07:00,233 --> 01:07:01,466 That's transformational 1305 01:07:01,467 --> 01:07:04,065 because we didn't have enough money to make it happen. 1306 01:07:04,066 --> 01:07:07,299 Professor O'Neill was very formative for me. 1307 01:07:07,300 --> 01:07:10,933 And it started... I read The High Frontier in high school. 1308 01:07:10,934 --> 01:07:14,299 I read it multiple times. And I was already primed. 1309 01:07:14,300 --> 01:07:17,966 And as soon as I read it, it made sense to me. 1310 01:07:17,967 --> 01:07:21,899 It seemed very clear that planetary surfaces 1311 01:07:21,900 --> 01:07:23,332 were not the right place 1312 01:07:23,333 --> 01:07:26,499 for an expanding civilization inside our solar system. 1313 01:07:26,500 --> 01:07:28,065 And for one, they're not just that big. 1314 01:07:28,066 --> 01:07:30,799 There's another argument that I like to make too... 1315 01:07:30,800 --> 01:07:32,599 Just they're hard to get to. 1316 01:07:32,600 --> 01:07:34,699 And when we build our own colonies, 1317 01:07:34,700 --> 01:07:36,866 we can do them in near-Earth vicinity. 1318 01:07:36,867 --> 01:07:38,866 These people are gonna wanna come back to Earth. 1319 01:07:38,867 --> 01:07:41,032 Very few people, for a long time anyway, 1320 01:07:41,033 --> 01:07:43,299 are gonna wanna abandon Earth altogether. 1321 01:07:43,300 --> 01:07:45,132 Earth is gonna be a very important place 1322 01:07:45,133 --> 01:07:47,833 to be able to come back to, you're gonna wanna come and go. 1323 01:07:47,834 --> 01:07:51,766 Remarkably, we now have billionaires, 1324 01:07:51,767 --> 01:07:54,699 almost all of whom, 1325 01:07:54,700 --> 01:07:57,933 are moved by political, social 1326 01:07:57,934 --> 01:08:02,200 or visionary interests 1327 01:08:03,500 --> 01:08:05,099 in space exploration, 1328 01:08:05,100 --> 01:08:08,532 but they're using the private enterprise system to get there. 1329 01:08:08,533 --> 01:08:10,866 My role is... And it's important. 1330 01:08:10,867 --> 01:08:14,065 It's the most important work I'm doing. It's crucial. 1331 01:08:14,066 --> 01:08:17,999 My role is to help build that heavy-lifting infrastructure 1332 01:08:18,000 --> 01:08:20,999 because I have the financial assets to do that. 1333 01:08:21,000 --> 01:08:23,132 And that will set things up 1334 01:08:23,133 --> 01:08:26,199 for this dynamic entrepreneurial explosion 1335 01:08:26,200 --> 01:08:28,299 that will lead to this Gerry O'Neill world. 1336 01:08:28,300 --> 01:08:34,200 Jeff Bezos has basically been talking the O'Neill vision. 1337 01:08:35,433 --> 01:08:38,799 And Bezos has said, "We've looked at the other planets. 1338 01:08:38,800 --> 01:08:40,933 This is the best planet. 1339 01:08:40,934 --> 01:08:42,966 I'm not leaving the Earth 1340 01:08:42,967 --> 01:08:46,065 because the Earth might fall apart. 1341 01:08:46,066 --> 01:08:50,633 I wanna go out there to help preserve the Earth." 1342 01:08:50,634 --> 01:08:53,733 And this is really important 1343 01:08:53,734 --> 01:08:57,666 because I've interviewed 31 astronauts personally 1344 01:08:57,667 --> 01:09:00,699 as well as reading a lot of what they said. 1345 01:09:00,700 --> 01:09:03,833 I haven't heard one astronaut say: 1346 01:09:03,834 --> 01:09:06,466 "Well, what I got out of going into outer space 1347 01:09:06,467 --> 01:09:09,065 was let's abandon the Earth." 1348 01:09:09,066 --> 01:09:11,065 I haven't heard anybody say that. 1349 01:09:11,066 --> 01:09:12,933 What they're saying is, "Oh, my goodness, 1350 01:09:12,934 --> 01:09:16,199 I realized how precious our home planet is." 1351 01:09:16,200 --> 01:09:18,432 These are terribly critical decades 1352 01:09:18,433 --> 01:09:20,099 because we have the capability 1353 01:09:20,100 --> 01:09:22,499 to go out into space, to colonize space, 1354 01:09:22,500 --> 01:09:26,232 and to make the human race really live forever, 1355 01:09:26,233 --> 01:09:29,132 because once we're out there, we're unkillable. 1356 01:09:29,133 --> 01:09:31,032 We will be settling the solar system, 1357 01:09:31,033 --> 01:09:34,065 ultimately other stars, ultimately the galaxy. 1358 01:09:34,066 --> 01:09:36,299 The truth is, right now, as time is going on, 1359 01:09:36,300 --> 01:09:38,332 I've been involved in the space business, 1360 01:09:38,333 --> 01:09:40,799 and I've looked at the things that I planned to do 1361 01:09:40,800 --> 01:09:42,232 and other people planned to do. 1362 01:09:42,233 --> 01:09:45,065 This vision of the O'Neill colony, 1363 01:09:45,066 --> 01:09:47,833 this rotating habitat, uh, 1364 01:09:47,834 --> 01:09:51,633 the magnetic launch of resources from the moon 1365 01:09:51,634 --> 01:09:54,532 where we have nickel, iron, and aluminum, and other things, 1366 01:09:54,533 --> 01:09:59,099 that is an enduring and realistic practical thing. 1367 01:09:59,100 --> 01:10:01,499 Why not do what Gerry suggested, 1368 01:10:01,500 --> 01:10:04,366 build a habitat, put it in space. 1369 01:10:04,367 --> 01:10:06,766 It can go anywhere, multiple habitats. 1370 01:10:06,767 --> 01:10:09,666 Just put one wherever we need a habitat. 1371 01:10:09,667 --> 01:10:11,332 If we're gonna live inside something, 1372 01:10:11,333 --> 01:10:14,265 let's make it a nice habitat with one G gravity 1373 01:10:14,266 --> 01:10:16,699 which our body's designed to manage, 1374 01:10:16,700 --> 01:10:18,399 oxygen we can breathe. 1375 01:10:18,400 --> 01:10:22,532 And so it's really an enduring idea that is real. 1376 01:10:22,533 --> 01:10:23,966 If we can build ocean vessels 1377 01:10:23,967 --> 01:10:25,966 that can cross the Atlantic in a storm 1378 01:10:25,967 --> 01:10:27,466 and hold 3000 people, 1379 01:10:27,467 --> 01:10:31,367 we can certainly build an O'Neill colony in space. 1380 01:10:32,934 --> 01:10:35,399 He wasn't saying that it was the only place to live. 1381 01:10:35,400 --> 01:10:38,866 He wasn't saying that you, you know, were a ground-pounder 1382 01:10:38,867 --> 01:10:41,933 or if you lived on a planetary surface, 1383 01:10:41,934 --> 01:10:45,032 but just that you could do more things. 1384 01:10:45,033 --> 01:10:47,299 I think that those two visions 1385 01:10:47,300 --> 01:10:49,899 are not exclusive of one another. 1386 01:10:49,900 --> 01:10:53,699 I do think that the vision of the O'Neill Cylinders 1387 01:10:53,700 --> 01:10:56,499 is also one that needs to be pursued. 1388 01:10:56,500 --> 01:10:57,699 So I like those visions. 1389 01:10:57,700 --> 01:11:00,265 And, again, I think that Gerry, 1390 01:11:00,266 --> 01:11:04,065 even though he did prescribe a mean, 1391 01:11:04,066 --> 01:11:07,099 it's less about the technology and the way, 1392 01:11:07,100 --> 01:11:08,866 and it's more about the idea 1393 01:11:08,867 --> 01:11:12,499 that we, as humanity, need to get there. 1394 01:11:12,500 --> 01:11:15,367 EDWARD: The mass is there, the ideas are there. 1395 01:11:16,567 --> 01:11:18,599 As more people focus on it, 1396 01:11:18,600 --> 01:11:21,866 dad's ideas were great for starting them all rolling, 1397 01:11:21,867 --> 01:11:23,966 and he had a plan for how it could go. 1398 01:11:23,967 --> 01:11:26,065 There's a whole lot of really smart people 1399 01:11:26,066 --> 01:11:29,733 out there who can be, you know, inspired by his ideas 1400 01:11:29,734 --> 01:11:31,099 or by somebody else's ideas 1401 01:11:31,100 --> 01:11:34,866 that just happened to work well in conjunction. 1402 01:11:34,867 --> 01:11:36,232 Once people started digging in 1403 01:11:36,233 --> 01:11:38,099 to what O'Neill was talking about, 1404 01:11:38,100 --> 01:11:39,866 about living in space, 1405 01:11:39,867 --> 01:11:41,466 and really looking at the implications of that 1406 01:11:41,467 --> 01:11:43,666 from an economic perspective and everything, 1407 01:11:43,667 --> 01:11:45,132 people realized that, you know, 1408 01:11:45,133 --> 01:11:47,265 throwing the rocket away every time wasn't gonna work. 1409 01:11:47,266 --> 01:11:49,366 We need to build rockets in a different way 1410 01:11:49,367 --> 01:11:51,199 from what we're doing in the shuttle. 1411 01:11:51,200 --> 01:11:53,165 Then it was a matter of how do we step outside 1412 01:11:53,166 --> 01:11:54,599 of the constraints of the government 1413 01:11:54,600 --> 01:11:56,065 and the government programs. 1414 01:11:56,066 --> 01:11:58,532 NASA's gotta give up the past to pay for the future. 1415 01:11:58,533 --> 01:12:00,833 One of the things that was really a big push 1416 01:12:00,834 --> 01:12:02,633 on this was the DC-X program. 1417 01:12:02,634 --> 01:12:05,332 That was something that would really help push through 1418 01:12:05,333 --> 01:12:07,599 by a lot of the same kind of community. 1419 01:12:07,600 --> 01:12:08,799 So this was the first rocket 1420 01:12:08,800 --> 01:12:10,532 to take off and land on a tail of fire. 1421 01:12:10,533 --> 01:12:13,132 It served a really... It showed that you can do 1422 01:12:13,133 --> 01:12:15,966 this kind of next generation of technology 1423 01:12:15,967 --> 01:12:17,766 and be able to do all this. 1424 01:12:17,767 --> 01:12:19,966 MAN: Five, four... 1425 01:12:19,967 --> 01:12:22,199 Start check engines. 1426 01:12:22,200 --> 01:12:24,332 NARRATOR: Code name DC-XA. 1427 01:12:24,333 --> 01:12:27,132 This McDonnell Douglas rocket is opening the door 1428 01:12:27,133 --> 01:12:30,065 to routine and affordable space travel. 1429 01:12:30,066 --> 01:12:32,466 [♪♪♪] 1430 01:12:32,467 --> 01:12:36,032 The DC-XA can lift off vertically under its own power. 1431 01:12:36,033 --> 01:12:39,600 It has no separate stages or throwaway boosters. 1432 01:12:45,200 --> 01:12:46,666 To complete its journey, 1433 01:12:46,667 --> 01:12:51,199 the DC-XA performs its most remarkable maneuver. 1434 01:12:51,200 --> 01:12:56,066 It lands in its original takeoff position, on its tail. 1435 01:13:00,233 --> 01:13:05,599 It can be ready to fly again in just 24 hours. 1436 01:13:05,600 --> 01:13:12,666 What they were moving into was a context that was set. 1437 01:13:12,667 --> 01:13:18,833 The policies, the conversation, the concepts themselves 1438 01:13:18,834 --> 01:13:24,833 that allow Elon, and Jeff, and Richard to do their thing 1439 01:13:24,834 --> 01:13:27,666 were already laid out 1440 01:13:27,667 --> 01:13:34,165 by the activists spawned directly by Gerry's work. 1441 01:13:34,166 --> 01:13:37,332 I would say that you would look around 1442 01:13:37,333 --> 01:13:40,366 at the super successful entrepreneurs, 1443 01:13:40,367 --> 01:13:43,065 you know, in this country and outside this country. 1444 01:13:43,066 --> 01:13:45,799 And I think they share typically 1445 01:13:45,800 --> 01:13:52,132 a certain kind of sets of characteristics or qualities. 1446 01:13:52,133 --> 01:13:55,966 And aside from long-term success, 1447 01:13:55,967 --> 01:13:58,833 I think Dad had a lot of those qualities. 1448 01:13:58,834 --> 01:14:00,599 Broadening our capabilities in space 1449 01:14:00,600 --> 01:14:02,399 will continue to serve our society 1450 01:14:02,400 --> 01:14:05,199 in ways that we can scarcely imagine 1451 01:14:05,200 --> 01:14:07,299 because exploration will once more 1452 01:14:07,300 --> 01:14:09,933 inspire wonder in a new generation, 1453 01:14:09,934 --> 01:14:12,432 sparking passions and launching careers. 1454 01:14:12,433 --> 01:14:16,265 We will also accelerate the pace of innovations as companies 1455 01:14:16,266 --> 01:14:19,165 from young startups to established leaders, 1456 01:14:19,166 --> 01:14:21,866 compete to design and build and launch new means 1457 01:14:21,867 --> 01:14:24,666 of carrying people and materials out of our atmosphere. 1458 01:14:24,667 --> 01:14:26,633 There are many troubles in the world, of course, 1459 01:14:26,634 --> 01:14:29,332 and these are important, and we need to solve them. 1460 01:14:29,333 --> 01:14:32,633 But we also need things that make us excited to be alive, 1461 01:14:32,634 --> 01:14:35,999 that make us glad to wake up in the morning 1462 01:14:36,000 --> 01:14:38,132 and be fired up about the future 1463 01:14:38,133 --> 01:14:40,566 and think, yeah, the future's gonna be great, 1464 01:14:40,567 --> 01:14:43,132 you know, and this space exploration 1465 01:14:43,133 --> 01:14:44,366 is one of those things. 1466 01:14:44,367 --> 01:14:46,366 Becoming a spacefaring civilization, 1467 01:14:46,367 --> 01:14:48,332 being out there among the stars, 1468 01:14:48,333 --> 01:14:49,899 this is one of the things 1469 01:14:49,900 --> 01:14:52,032 that I know makes me glad to be alive, 1470 01:14:52,033 --> 01:14:53,999 it makes many people glad to be alive. 1471 01:14:54,000 --> 01:14:55,699 It's one of the best things. 1472 01:14:55,700 --> 01:14:58,399 We're faced with a choice. Which future do you want? 1473 01:14:58,400 --> 01:14:59,899 Do you want the future where we become 1474 01:14:59,900 --> 01:15:03,299 a spacefaring civilization and are in many worlds 1475 01:15:03,300 --> 01:15:04,666 and out there among the stars, 1476 01:15:04,667 --> 01:15:06,999 or one where we are forever confined to Earth? 1477 01:15:07,000 --> 01:15:09,265 And I say it is the first. 1478 01:15:09,266 --> 01:15:11,799 I think we should really do our very best 1479 01:15:11,800 --> 01:15:13,332 to become a multi-planet species 1480 01:15:13,333 --> 01:15:16,199 and to extend consciousness beyond Earth, 1481 01:15:16,200 --> 01:15:17,566 and we should do it now. 1482 01:15:17,567 --> 01:15:20,899 PILOT: SpaceX Falcon Heavy go for launch. 1483 01:15:20,900 --> 01:15:23,699 [Cheering] 1484 01:15:23,700 --> 01:15:25,499 Falcon Heavy is configured for flight. 1485 01:15:25,500 --> 01:15:28,400 WOMAN: T-minus 15 stand by for terminal count. 1486 01:15:30,634 --> 01:15:33,999 Ten, nine, eight... PILOT: Side booster ignition. 1487 01:15:34,000 --> 01:15:39,834 WOMAN and CROWD: ...six, five, four, three, two, one... 1488 01:15:40,734 --> 01:15:43,132 WOMAN: Ignition. 1489 01:15:43,133 --> 01:15:46,466 Liftoff of the Falcon Heavy. 1490 01:15:46,467 --> 01:15:49,499 Building on the history of Saturn V-Apollo, 1491 01:15:49,500 --> 01:15:53,166 returning Pad 39A to interplanetary missions. 1492 01:16:00,433 --> 01:16:03,767 WOMAN: And the Falcons have landed. 1493 01:16:29,367 --> 01:16:33,899 WOMAN: And a smooth controlled hover back home. 1494 01:16:33,900 --> 01:16:35,699 And touchdown. 1495 01:16:35,700 --> 01:16:39,265 And there is the New Shepard capsule. 1496 01:16:39,266 --> 01:16:40,766 The drones have been deployed 1497 01:16:40,767 --> 01:16:43,834 and there are the main parachutes. 1498 01:16:46,367 --> 01:16:49,165 And touch down. 1499 01:16:49,166 --> 01:16:51,799 Just beautiful. 1500 01:16:51,800 --> 01:16:55,766 It's almost as if Gerry articulated the finish line, 1501 01:16:55,767 --> 01:17:00,666 and left it to people like us, and Jeff Bezos, and Elon 1502 01:17:00,667 --> 01:17:03,566 to figure out what was needed to get us there. 1503 01:17:03,567 --> 01:17:06,466 And we may not wake up every day thinking: 1504 01:17:06,467 --> 01:17:09,733 "I'm inspired today by Gerry O'Neill," 1505 01:17:09,734 --> 01:17:13,165 but we're really just following through on what he laid out. 1506 01:17:13,166 --> 01:17:16,332 He showed us not only the vision but the corporate structure 1507 01:17:16,333 --> 01:17:18,366 and the infrastructure, and the way to do it. 1508 01:17:18,367 --> 01:17:20,833 And... And I think we're off to the races. 1509 01:17:20,834 --> 01:17:24,933 And, logically, we'll begin to manufacture in space. 1510 01:17:24,934 --> 01:17:27,833 We'll begin to have stations around the moon. Uh... 1511 01:17:27,834 --> 01:17:30,399 Private vehicles will take private people 1512 01:17:30,400 --> 01:17:31,799 to and from space. 1513 01:17:31,800 --> 01:17:35,366 And what's next is up to the next few generations. 1514 01:17:35,367 --> 01:17:37,599 One of the really great things happening now 1515 01:17:37,600 --> 01:17:40,733 is that a lot of young people are getting into aerospace. 1516 01:17:40,734 --> 01:17:43,699 And they are also starting companies. 1517 01:17:43,700 --> 01:17:47,165 This right now is, without doubt, 1518 01:17:47,166 --> 01:17:50,099 the golden age of rocketry development. 1519 01:17:50,100 --> 01:17:53,766 And everybody and their mother's uncle is building rockets. 1520 01:17:53,767 --> 01:17:56,566 This is exactly what you need for a space settlement. 1521 01:17:56,567 --> 01:17:59,366 One of the things I valued about his vision 1522 01:17:59,367 --> 01:18:00,833 is just how hopeful it is. 1523 01:18:00,834 --> 01:18:03,432 It really had a powerful optimism to it. 1524 01:18:03,433 --> 01:18:06,833 You know, if we could have the resources and energy 1525 01:18:06,834 --> 01:18:10,432 to take care of the basic needs of all humanity, 1526 01:18:10,433 --> 01:18:16,532 then we would have the bandwidth to be better people 1527 01:18:16,533 --> 01:18:19,633 and to, you know, maybe not fight over resources. 1528 01:18:19,634 --> 01:18:21,866 I believe that during our lifetime 1529 01:18:21,867 --> 01:18:25,833 that we're irreversibly moving off the planet. 1530 01:18:25,834 --> 01:18:28,599 And everything we hold of value on Earth, 1531 01:18:28,600 --> 01:18:31,199 metals, minerals, energy, real estate, 1532 01:18:31,200 --> 01:18:33,165 is near-infinite quantities in space. 1533 01:18:33,166 --> 01:18:36,099 We're here to create the first trillionaires in space. 1534 01:18:36,100 --> 01:18:39,332 You know, whatever we evolve into, 1535 01:18:39,333 --> 01:18:40,966 thousands of years from now, 1536 01:18:40,967 --> 01:18:43,999 we're gonna look back at these next couple of decades, 1537 01:18:44,000 --> 01:18:45,265 as the moment in time 1538 01:18:45,266 --> 01:18:47,499 that we moved irreversibly off the planet. 1539 01:18:47,500 --> 01:18:49,733 With the Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos 1540 01:18:49,734 --> 01:18:53,132 pioneering these reusable rockets, 1541 01:18:53,133 --> 01:18:57,766 all of a sudden, it's highly disruptive to the old model. 1542 01:18:57,767 --> 01:19:01,766 And everything we're doing is opening this up 1543 01:19:01,767 --> 01:19:05,699 to more experimentation, more people being involved. 1544 01:19:05,700 --> 01:19:07,666 And I believe Gerry wanted that. 1545 01:19:07,667 --> 01:19:08,899 I mean, he was talking about 1546 01:19:08,900 --> 01:19:11,766 space settlements of 10,000 people 1547 01:19:11,767 --> 01:19:15,232 And Bezos and Musk were talking about millions of people 1548 01:19:15,233 --> 01:19:18,633 living and working in the solar system. 1549 01:19:18,634 --> 01:19:20,733 So I think he'd look at it and say: 1550 01:19:20,734 --> 01:19:22,899 "This is what we've been waiting for." 1551 01:19:22,900 --> 01:19:25,633 I'm sorry he's missed it. It's very exciting. 1552 01:19:25,634 --> 01:19:27,532 Earth is the best planet. 1553 01:19:27,533 --> 01:19:31,666 We do need to protect it. It's essential. It's our job. 1554 01:19:31,667 --> 01:19:34,566 We're now big enough to hurt this planet. 1555 01:19:34,567 --> 01:19:37,599 We have to use the resources of space. 1556 01:19:37,600 --> 01:19:42,132 And it's this generation's job to build that road to space 1557 01:19:42,133 --> 01:19:46,232 so that the future generations can unleash their creativity. 1558 01:19:46,233 --> 01:19:49,399 You will see amazing things happen, 1559 01:19:49,400 --> 01:19:53,499 and it will happen fast. I guarantee it. 1560 01:19:53,500 --> 01:19:56,800 People are so creative once they're unleashed. 1561 01:19:57,900 --> 01:20:00,232 I think a future world is inclusive, 1562 01:20:00,233 --> 01:20:02,332 where everyone does have that opportunity 1563 01:20:02,333 --> 01:20:05,065 is vital for the future of our civilization, 1564 01:20:05,066 --> 01:20:07,032 especially when... What the... 1565 01:20:07,033 --> 01:20:09,399 What space is is something that unites us 1566 01:20:09,400 --> 01:20:10,766 and brings us together. 1567 01:20:10,767 --> 01:20:13,366 I think to honor Gerry's legacy, 1568 01:20:13,367 --> 01:20:16,466 and the idea to go and build habitats, 1569 01:20:16,467 --> 01:20:18,466 we need to do that in a peaceful manner. 1570 01:20:18,467 --> 01:20:20,866 The idea is for humanity to come together. 1571 01:20:20,867 --> 01:20:23,099 That's what Gerry's legacy is about. 1572 01:20:23,100 --> 01:20:26,532 And so it's important that we also use their terms 1573 01:20:26,533 --> 01:20:28,733 that will define this corporation. 1574 01:20:28,734 --> 01:20:33,633 It's not, as he said, about national vagaries of politics. 1575 01:20:33,634 --> 01:20:35,165 It's not about just one country, 1576 01:20:35,166 --> 01:20:38,132 it's about private individuals, private industry, 1577 01:20:38,133 --> 01:20:40,399 all of humanity coming together, 1578 01:20:40,400 --> 01:20:44,599 and building that vision and making it happen. 1579 01:20:44,600 --> 01:20:48,432 Gerry would be delighted with all that's going on now, 1580 01:20:48,433 --> 01:20:51,065 and, I think, would feel a great sense 1581 01:20:51,066 --> 01:20:53,232 of having fostered much of it. 1582 01:20:53,233 --> 01:20:57,466 And he, like many of us, are going, "It's about time." 1583 01:20:57,467 --> 01:20:59,232 Gerry's vision 1584 01:20:59,233 --> 01:21:03,933 that many of us were blessed to share with, in personal... 1585 01:21:03,934 --> 01:21:07,733 In a personal exposure, but anyone can read the book. 1586 01:21:07,734 --> 01:21:11,466 That will change how you think about space forever. 1587 01:21:11,467 --> 01:21:14,466 And so, yeah, I say it makes a huge difference 1588 01:21:14,467 --> 01:21:16,566 and still makes a difference today 1589 01:21:16,567 --> 01:21:19,432 and can make more of a difference in the future. 1590 01:21:19,433 --> 01:21:21,666 And that what he would want us to do is, 1591 01:21:21,667 --> 01:21:25,766 you know, write the next chapter and keep writing chapters. 1592 01:21:25,767 --> 01:21:28,933 We were Gerry's kids. You know, he... 1593 01:21:28,934 --> 01:21:32,899 He was the father of the future that we were manifesting, 1594 01:21:32,900 --> 01:21:35,532 therefore we were Gerry's kids. 1595 01:21:35,533 --> 01:21:38,033 It's our job, even now, 1596 01:21:39,333 --> 01:21:42,199 to go out and create more Gerry's kids. 1597 01:21:42,200 --> 01:21:47,899 It's our job right now to enable the next generation 1598 01:21:47,900 --> 01:21:51,499 to have that same permission to dream that he gave us. 1599 01:21:51,500 --> 01:21:55,199 It's almost 50 years ago since Gerry O'Neill 1600 01:21:55,200 --> 01:21:57,399 posed the question to his students: 1601 01:21:57,400 --> 01:22:00,799 "Is the surface of a planet the right place 1602 01:22:00,800 --> 01:22:04,466 for an expanding technological civilization?" 1603 01:22:04,467 --> 01:22:06,733 And the answer was no. 1604 01:22:06,734 --> 01:22:10,032 The world was ready to hear a hopeful message. 1605 01:22:10,033 --> 01:22:12,833 We would open up the High Frontier 1606 01:22:12,834 --> 01:22:18,332 and make space accessible to live, work and play in. 1607 01:22:18,333 --> 01:22:19,933 And here you are, 1608 01:22:19,934 --> 01:22:24,699 many of who have worked with Gerry in the early years, 1609 01:22:24,700 --> 01:22:27,999 you have picked up the gauntlet that he threw down 1610 01:22:28,000 --> 01:22:30,899 and followed your dreams and passions 1611 01:22:30,900 --> 01:22:34,734 to make his dream become a reality. 1612 01:22:35,700 --> 01:22:39,199 You are his sons and daughters in spirit, 1613 01:22:39,200 --> 01:22:45,232 doing what you do best in your varied fields of expertise. 1614 01:22:45,233 --> 01:22:46,833 As I stand here, 1615 01:22:46,834 --> 01:22:52,499 I can assure you that Gerry would be so very proud of you. 1616 01:22:52,500 --> 01:22:55,299 Throughout all of human history, 1617 01:22:55,300 --> 01:22:56,966 there has been nothing 1618 01:22:56,967 --> 01:23:00,666 that has ever looked so absolutely rigid, 1619 01:23:00,667 --> 01:23:03,332 so absolutely eternal, 1620 01:23:03,333 --> 01:23:04,766 as an establishment 1621 01:23:04,767 --> 01:23:08,766 just before it's about to break apart completely. 1622 01:23:08,767 --> 01:23:11,399 It's been true in every revolution 1623 01:23:11,400 --> 01:23:13,099 that you can think of. 1624 01:23:13,100 --> 01:23:16,065 Rigidity is characteristic of a system, 1625 01:23:16,066 --> 01:23:19,667 which is just about to be replaced by something better. 1626 01:23:20,867 --> 01:23:24,733 And I think that's going to happen in the space program 1627 01:23:24,734 --> 01:23:27,466 because of the dedication, 1628 01:23:27,467 --> 01:23:30,232 the hard work, the contributions, 1629 01:23:30,233 --> 01:23:33,599 all of the ingenuity that you are bringing to it. 1630 01:23:33,600 --> 01:23:36,065 You are the people who are going to make it happen. 1631 01:23:36,066 --> 01:23:39,265 It really is a revolution. It's a peaceful revolution. 1632 01:23:39,266 --> 01:23:43,833 It's a revolution for the good of everyone in the world. 1633 01:23:43,834 --> 01:23:47,366 It's not a revolution that's going to hurt people. 1634 01:23:47,367 --> 01:23:48,999 It's gonna help them instead. 1635 01:23:49,000 --> 01:23:51,666 It's a revolution into which we can all 1636 01:23:51,667 --> 01:23:54,399 throw ourselves and all of our energies 1637 01:23:54,400 --> 01:23:55,699 with full hearts. 1638 01:23:55,700 --> 01:23:57,967 [♪♪♪] 1639 01:25:24,600 --> 01:25:27,867 [♪♪♪]