The moment when, 50 years ago, Neil Armstrong planted his foot on the surface of the Moon inspired awe, pride and wonder around the world. This newspaper argued that “man, from this day on, can go wheresoever in the universe his mind wills and his ingenuity contrives…to the planets, sooner rather than later, man is now certain to go.” But no. The Moon landing was an aberration, a goal achieved not as an end in itself but as a means of signalling America’s extraordinary capabilities. That point, once made, required no remaking. Only 571 people have been into orbit; and since 1972 no one has ventured much farther into space than Des Moines is from Chicago.
The next 50 years will look very different. Falling costs, new technologies, Chinese and Indian ambitions, and a new generation of entrepreneurs promise a bold era of space development. It will almost certainly involve tourism for the rich and better communications networks for all; in the long run it might involve mineral exploitation and even mass transportation. Space will become ever more like an extension of Earth—an arena for firms and private individuals, not just governments. But for this promise to be fulfilled the world needs to create a system of laws to govern the heavens—both in peacetime and, should it come to that, in war.
The development of space thus far has been focused on facilitating activity down below—mainly satellite communications for broadcasting and navigation. Now two things are changing. First, geopolitics is stoking a new push to send humans beyond the shallows of low-Earth orbit. China plans to land people on the Moon by 2035. President Donald Trump’s administration wants Americans to be back there by 2024. Falling costs make this showing off more affordable than before. Apollo cost hundreds of billions of dollars (in today’s money). Now tens of billions are the ticket price.
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It is a mistake to promote space as a romanticised Wild West, an anarchic frontier where humanity can throw off its fetters and rediscover its destiny. For space to fulfil its promise governance is required. At a time when the world cannot agree on rules for the terrestrial trade of steel bars and soybeans that may seem like a big ask. But without it the potential of all that lies beyond Earth will at best wait another 50 years to be fulfilled. At worst space could add to Earth’s problems. | Xilligaan, markii 50 sano ka hor, Neil Armstrong uu cagtiisa ku dul jiiday dusha Dayaxa ayaa dhiirrigelisay cabsi, isla weyni iyo layaab adduunka. Wargeyskan ayaa ku dooday in “nin, laga bilaabo maanta, uu aadi karo meel kasta oo adduunka oo dhan niyadiisa doonayso, iyo xariifnimadiisa ayaa ku wareegeysa meerayaasha, si dhakhso badan, waqti dambe, bini aadamku waa hubaal inay aadan.” Laakiin maya. Soo caga dhigashada Dayaxu waxa uu ahaa aflagaaddo, hadaf la gaadhey ma'aha dhammaadka laftiisa laakiin waa dariiqa lagu tilmaamo awoodaha aan caadiga ahayn ee Mareykanka. Fikradaas, mar haddii la sameeyay, uma baahnin wax kabitaan ah. Kaliya 571 qofood ayaa soo galay orbitka; Ilaa iyo 1972 qofna kama uusan sii fogaan meelaha bannaan marka loo eego Des Moines oo ka socota Chicago. 50ka sano ee soo socota waxay umuuqdaan kuwo aad u kala duwan. Qiimaha dhicitaanka, tikniyoolajiyada cusub, himilooyinka Shiinaha iyo Hindida, iyo jiil cusub oo ganacsato ah ayaa ballan qaadaya marxalad geesinimo leh oo ku saabsan horumarinta booska. Waxay runtii ku lug yeelan doontaa dalxiis ee shabakadaha isgaarsiinta hodanka ah iyo kuwa ka fiican ee dhammaanba; Mustaqbalka fog waxay ku lug yeelan kartaa dhiig-miirashada macdanta iyo xitaa gaadiid badan. Xawaaraha wuxuu weligiis noqon doonaa sidii loo ballaarin lahaa Dunida - garoon ay ku shaqeeyaan shirkadaha iyo shakhsiyaadka khaaska ah, ma'ahan dowladaha kaliya. Laakiin si balankan loo oofiyo dunidu waxay u baahan tahay inay abuurto nidaam sharci ah oo lagu xukumaa samooyinka - ha ahaato waqtigaas iyo ha ahaato, dagaal ha ahaadee. Horumarka booska ilaa hada waxaa diirada lagu saaray fududeynta waxqabadka hoose - inta badan isgaarsiinta dayax gacmeedyada si loo baahiyo. Hadda laba arrimood ayaa is beddelaya. Marka hore, juquraafi ahaan waxa ay curyaamineysaa cadaadis cusub oo ay ugu direyso aadanaha meel ka durugsan dhulka hoose ee orbitka. Shiinaha ayaa qorsheynaya inuu ku dego dadka Dayax sanadka 2035. Maamulka madaxweyne Donald Trump ayaa doonaya in dadka Mareykanka ay ku soo laabtaan halkaas sannadka 2024. Qiimaha dhicista ayaa ka dhigaya muujintaan mid ka sii awood badan sidii markii hore. Apollo waxay ku kacday boqolaal milyan oo doolar (oo lacagta maanta ah). Hadda tobanaan balaayiin waa qiimaha tikidhada. […] Waa khalad in kor loo qaado meelaad sidii loo jeclaa ee loo yaqaan 'duur joogta galbeed', oo ah xasilooni darro baahsan halkaas oo bina-aadamku ku tuuri karo meerteeda oo dib uga soo ceshan karto aayaheeda. Meel bannaan si loo fuliyo ballanqaadkiisii xukunka ayaa loo baahan yahay. Waqti uusan dunidu ku heshiin karin shuruucda ganacsiga dhulka ee baararka birta iyo soybeanska oo u ekaan kara weydiin weyn. Laakiin iyada oo aan lahayn wax kasta oo ka baxsan dhulka ayaa si fiican u sugi doona 50 sano oo kale si loo oofiyo. Meelaha ugu xun ayaa lagu dari karaa dhibaatooyinka dulka. |