Gravity is both friend and foe. Without it, none of us or the world we know would exist. Gravity holds the atmosphere to the Earth and keeps us from flying off into space. Up and down are defined by this mysterious force that continues to defy understanding. Oh, we know how to calculate weight and we know how fast things fall and all of that, but no one, absolutely NO ONE has a clue as to what makes it work. And yet, gravity has controlled our species and its predecessors for untold eons, and it will continue to do so into the foreseeable future. Humanity is on the verge of attempting to expand to other bodies in the solar system; the Moon and Mars to be specific. Gravity is and will continue to be our worst foe when it comes to such ventures. Not only does it require big, expensive rockets to overcome gravity, but once people are in orbit the lack of "weight" begins to immediately cause degenerative states. Muscles, bones, circulatory system, vision, everything, begins to change, and not for the better. NASA attacks these maladies with drugs and exercise in spite of 45 years of scholarly recommendations to pursue artificial gravity. That strategy has helped astronauts to more easily adapt to Earth gravity when returning from the International Space Station after a few months. NASA admits that drugs and exercise alone will not work for a three year voyage to Mars and back. Radiation, air, food, dust, and all other known dangers to human beings on the Moon and Mars can be compensated for. No one knows how to control gravity or how to assure that evolution of the species beyond Earth will be acceptable. It is time to find out whether humanity will forever more be constrained to populating only the Earth. If that is our fate, knowledge of that eventuality may have a lasting impact on how we all view this small blue and white ball called Earth.
About the Author: Gerald W. Driggers has BS and MS degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University. His 45-year career in science and engineering spanned many disciplines and gave him an uncommon depth of understanding in things both theoretical and practical. Military experience varied from launching ballistic payloads and satellites to battlefield Civil Engineering. In civilian life, his endeavors included design studies in space colonization and industrialization, original research to improve pollution control, groundbreaking developments in missile defense technology, and advancements in hardware-in-the-loop testing. In his leisure time, he mastered photography, automotive and outboard engine rebuilding, boat repair and maintenance, seamanship (including offshore), home restoration, and the art of raising two wonderful children. Gerald is truly a man of many trades and a master of several. Through it all, the exploration of the solar system has been his passion since age eight. Pinnacles in his professional life include time spent with Dr. von Braun and his team members, being presented an award by Arthur C. Clarke, conversations with Robert Heinlein, the friendship of Harry Stine, and his close relationship with Gerard and Tasha O'Neill. Gerald now writes about his passion; that is, when wonderful wife Carol or Wilson the Cat do not have chores for him.