TRANSMISSION LOG...

Jace Hall, Executive Producer and Creator of Space 2099, was recently featured on BJ Shea’s Geek Nation radio show. Jace discussed how JJ Abram’s Star Trek Into Darkness illustrates Hollywood’s current lack of desire to deliver a unique science fiction experience, and how to re-capture the imagination of sci-fi fans.

Jace was previously a guest on BJ’s program during the Prometheus release to discuss what he felt was missing from Ridley Scott’s sci-fi thriller, and how Space 2099 might help fill that void.

While Space 2099 continues moving forward, our team must still keep silent on any details of the production. However, Jace’s interview offers fans an insight into the thought process behind the re-imagining of Space 2099, something he shared at last year’s Alpha Con in Burbank, California.

Excerpts of the interview are listed below. Jace’s appearance begins a little after the fifty-seven minute mark for those who would like to listen in.


Click here to listen to the full show.

Youtube user PC VideoGamer is developing a Space 1999 modification for the popular multiplayer game, Crysis-Wars.

Crysis-Wars is a PC game originally released in 2008 alongside the single player version of the game, Crysis Warhead. Crysis-Wars allows players to duke it out in a futuristic multi-player game, fit with SMG’s, Grenade Launchers and Plasma guns.

13 minutes of footage (above) show various explosions, maneuvers and interactive features the user can add to the multiplayer version of the game. Some of these features include the player being able to control the Eagle 1, including the Eagle’s interior. While HDFILMS, Inc. has roots in the gaming industry, we have absolutely no affiliation with the video above -- we simply found it a nice tribute to the series that has helped inspire Space 2099.

Says PC Video Gamer, they uploader of the video:


“I'm making a new eagle-transporter with interior for the pod and the cockpit and if it go's well then I might make the whole mod in cry-engine 3 and release it that way, updated & nice.”

The footage reportedly uses the Cry-engine, widely regarded as one of the most advanced in the gaming industry and recently shown off in games such as Crysis 3 and Far Cry 3.

There have been traces of Space 1999 modded in earlier video games such as Doom, but as far as we’ve ever seen, this would be the furthest Space 1999 has ever made it onto a prominent video game franchise.

What would happen if the moon were to disappear -- either from a buildup of nuclear waste or a direct attempt to blow it out of the sky? Recent publications have begun to ruminate over the matter as more rumors become public of the U.S. plans to possibly blow up the moon in the 1950’s.

First off, in order to completely eviscerate the moon, which you would have to do in order for larger segments of a decimated moon from coalescing, you’d have to pack a powerful punch. It would require an estimated 600 billion nuclear warheads or 30 trillion megatons of TNT to utterly destroy the moon.

Say this task was accomplished and the moon were eliminated from our sky…

Invariably, there would still be smaller fragments that would rain down on Earth and cause massive damage, other remnants would form a ring similar to that of Saturn around Earth, with fragments making their way into our atmosphere from time to time.

The tidal waves created by the moon (lunar waves) would be eliminated; however solar waves caused by the sun would still exist. The magnitude of these waves would be considerably less, but would still be apparent (the moon’s gravitational force is only 17% of the earth’s gravity, the sun’s impact is 46%). Still, the tremendous decrease in the tides of the ocean would prevent nutrients from circulating and throw off so many life forms that possibly thousands of species would become extinct.

The moon also provides a valuable role as a shield for the Earth’s atmosphere, taking the hit for asteroids that otherwise would have nothing in their way (ever notice how many craters the moon has?). If the fragments from blowing up the moon didn’t get us, more objects originating from further in deep space with a free(er) pass to Earth just might make an impact.

But the primary and most destructive factor of “removing the moon” would be the change on the Earth’s axis. Without the consistent gravitational pull of the moon, the Earth would most likely vacillate between 0 and 85 degrees (the Earth’s axis currently tilts at 23 degrees). This radical change in tilt would dramatically throw off the world’s climate: the equator could suddenly be the furthest point from the sun and vice versa in respect to the poles, all but reversing some of our planets most extreme environments.

All of these elements were recently discussed in an article on Space Answers, in which excerpts of the above were borrowed.

While the science community continues to hypothesize such an occurrence, the possible event of the moon’s disappearance is particularly salient in the Space 2099 community, as the issue of maintaining a feasible world merges with how to keep as many elements of Space 1999 in tact.

Based on the science above, do feel like the Earth would cease to exist without the moon, or is the matter less relevant when juxtaposed with the state of the moon itself?

{Thanks to Gary Hawkins for sending the Space Answers article our way]

A new report from the Heritage Foundation indicates the growing need for The United States to invest in space as a means of national security.

The Heritage foundation is often branded as a conservative “think tank”. The two authors of the study (Jeff Kueter and John B Sheldon) hail from the George C. Marshall Institute, also commonly referred to as a conservative group.

Nevertheless, the report raised a number of salient issues relevant in the space community, primarily, how to move the United States forward with its space endeavors and self defense.

One of the fundamental objectives of the report was to analyze how fiscal pressures e.g. budget cuts should shape U.S. Space policy. Over the past decade, the United State’s national security space budget has steadily decreased from approximately $15 billion in 2000 to around $8.5 billion in 2010. In February 2012, the Obama Administration announced it would seek a 22 percent cut in military space spending in the 2013 defense budget.

This comes at a time when the report states “other nations are building their programs in an effort to deny the U.S. access to space." As an example, China has increased its R&D space spending at roughly a 20 percent rate over the past decade.

The report notes that the United State’s current strategic approach to space is no different than during the Cold War era, meaning a handful of expensive systems provide vital space services for the U.S. and allied forces. This trend could be offset with the growing commercialization of private industries like Space X and Virgin Galactic:

Many have argued that the increased use of drones indicates the United States is working its way towards utilizing “the atmosphere” as more of a militarized zone, but the conventional wisdom is this doesn’t go (literally) far enough. Space systems offer unique strategic attributes that terrestrial objects simply can not provide. Everyone from the Chinese to even the Turks are getting on board with this line of thinking, the latter of which recently spent 2 billion “paving the way" for satellites.

The Operational Response Space Office (ORS) has allowed the United States to generate small, capable satellites in a short period of time, but no adjunct has been launched to set off these satellites. In addition, the Obama administration requested to shut down the ORS as part of their 2013 budget, something many members of congress are opposing.

Despite the internal struggles within Washington, D.C. to find a unified course, the report states the most pragmatic plan of attack would be for The United States to approach its space endeavors multi-laterally:

So in essence, the greatest enemy facing the United States right now would appear to be itself -- not only have budget reductions polarized point of views, they have allowed foreign powers to gain ground on the United States and pull focus from potential opportunities for the United States to strengthen its relationships with allies.

It is clear that if the United States is going to leave its current harbor on a more permanent basis, budget deficits not only need to be resolved, but clear paths need to be established as to how the U.S. develops its space defense.

While the report indicates areas of concern for U.S. Space Defense, it ignores the obvious advancements the Mars Curiosity has made in interplanetary exploration. The rover is evidence alone that the U.S. still remains supreme in space, but clearly foreign nations are gaining ground.

By 2099 will the United States still be ahead or will it be battling the likes of China, South Korea and India to stay afloat?

Or will the world be fighting a new enemy, altogether?

Last week’s meteorite in Chelyabinsk, Russia has re-ignited the debate regarding a possible asteroid annihilating our planet. Suffice to say, a meteor the size of what hit Russia -- a 50 foot wide rock moving at 40,000 miles per hour -- conjures up a number of doomsday scenarios.

“What if a bigger meteor were to hit a more densely populated area?...The 1,200 people hurt in Russia would be the most infinitesimal blip on the radar.”

Truth be told, last week’s meteorite exploded roughly 15 miles above the Earth’s surface, severely limiting the weight of its 7,000 ton punch. All the while, about 17,000 miles away, an asteroid three times its size (dubbed DA14), sailed past Earth causing even more speculation as to how much damage an asteroid of this nature would have caused if it had made an impact.

The closest comparison to DA14 would be the much heralded 1908 impact of an asteroid in Siberia. It’s estimated to have been 300 feet in diameter and to have exploded 5 miles above the Earth’s surface. In total, it knocked down 770 square miles of forest (in an area where it only caused one death.) An asteroid of this magnitude in a metropolitan area in today’s day and age would kill millions instantly and cause firestorms that could kill hundreds of thousands more.

So how close do astronomers believe we are to an event of this magnitude? For nearly a decade, doomsdayers have been pointing to the Asteroid Apophis making a direct impact in 2036, but that has been de-bunked by NASA as only coming within the same distance as DA14.

Earlier this year NASA made an official statement:

"…we have effectively ruled out the possibility of an Earth impact by Apophis in 2036…The impact odds as they stand now are less than one in a million, which makes us comfortable saying we can effectively rule out an Earth impact in 2036. Our interest in asteroid Apophis will essentially be for its scientific interest for the foreseeable future."



With the occurrence of a potentially planet destroying asteroid being once every ten million or so years, how prepared should humans be to defend themselves? How prepared can we become?

Recent Hollywood movie adaptations aside, not very much can be done with PRESENT technology to defend against an asteroid – much of our defense systems rely on amateurs with telescopes identifying potential threats.

Members of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs have begun circulating ideas, but no solution or even a remote (public) plan are in place to combat a Near Earth Object.

While DA14 was spotted a year before its arrival, the asteroid that struck Chelyabinsk was a complete surprise. But what could have been done about it?

According to Sergio Camacho, Chairman of the UN's Action Team on Near-Earth Objects:

“(Prepared measures) would have allowed for more observation and better understanding and education of the population on what to expect rather than having a surprise effect with people not knowing what was happening."

In essence, humans can better prepare for a response, but not a plan for prevention. The idea of drilling and breaking an asteroid into pieces would only cause more harm than good and make the asteroid more widespread. Pushing or nudging the asteroid off its course could offer a solution, but it would be predicated on the ability to spot the asteroid sooner and travel into deep space.

The bottom line is, the possibility for an asteroid impact is so minuscule it makes them more relevant for a discussion regarding mining than an eventual apocalypse - this is only the case for the present, however. The turn of the century and the year 2099 could hold different tidings and require humans to evolve more prominent defense systems, ones that don’t defend against foreign nations, but foreign, near Earth objects.

Will we be prepared for such an invasion? Right now, that answer is far from yes. If the recent crash in Chelyabinsk did anything, it made this realization more apparent than ever.

Unfortunately, there is nothing I can disclose at this juncture. Believe me I would if I could.

However, I would like to look at your use of the term "languishing" and try to better understand what you mean by it?

If it is asking if there are any external forces getting in the way of Space: 2099 such as a lack of excitement at ITV or a potential lack of interest from various networks or something like that...

The answer is no, there are no such forces disrupting/blocking/inhibiting Space:2099 at this current time.

If your "languishing" is referring to somehow being creatively lost and not knowing what the story is or what the project should be or something like that...

The answer is no, these are not problems that are happening.

However, if you mean "languishing" as in taking the time necessary to think things through, working closely with numerous people at ITV while being comprehensive and thoughtful in applying craftsmanship and insight to not only building an epic series but also an entire conceptual paradigm that can speak toward the human condition in both broad and intimate ways that ultimately reignites an entire franchise...

Then the answer is yes, it "languishes" away.

That being said, we are in fact much closer to the kind of substantial motion that you are traditionally used to seeing when a project is normally announced. Remember, we deliberately announced the Space:2099 much earlier than is the norm for networks like ITV in order to engage and encourage discussion and participation from fans BEFORE things were completely set in stone...

Bottom line, this project has not been 'sitting' or 'languishing' (in the wasteful sense of these words) - we have been working on it continuously and there have been no development roadblocks beyond the ominous challenge of making the best thing we can.

Please bear with us. We know the waiting is frustrating.

Jace

Every year NASA honors its members who have passed serving in the space administration.

This year’s memorial has even deeper meaning, as it was almost exactly ten years ago that the United States lost seven astronauts in the Columbia disaster (February 1). The spacecraft disintegrated on its return from orbit, grounding the space shuttle fleet for over two years.



Earlier this week, NASA also remembered the seven crew-members lost in the Challenger tragedy 27 years ago to the day, January 28^th.

The day of remembrance on February 1st will be used to honor those who have passed while working for the space program, with an observance at Arlington National Cemetery.

NASA officials said in a statement:

“NASA's Day of Remembrance honors members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery…Flags across the agency will be flown at half-staff in their memory.”

The NASA Memorial site lists 1,615 men and women, honoring NASA servicemen who have passed.

Since the beginning of space exploration fifty years ago, twenty one explorers have passed in total (both Americans and Russians).

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden sees the event as more of a celebration than a memorial:

"I think this is not a memorial. It's a celebration, because of what they made possible…We're commemorating them, and we're thanking them by continuing to move forward — and not dropping back and dwelling on the pain. They'd be pretty angry, I think, if they saw that."


NASA has done its best to learn from tragedies during its history, beginning with the Apollo 1 deaths of Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee (pictured above). They died during a pre-launch test when sparks caused a fire in their sealed capsule.

The Challenger disaster led to a re-design of the rocket’s boosters, which have worked without fail to this day. It also increased precautions during launch, helping to reduce the notion that a missions “had to go” on its launch day.

Insulation in the external fuel tank ultimately caused the Columbia to crash, leading to re-designing the fuel tanks, and adding cameras to the shuttle to watch for damage.

The Kennedy Ceremony honoring the "Day of Remembrance" will be streaming live on NASA Television.

For all of us at Space 2099 working on a show inspired by space exploration, we continue to remember all the efforts made by men and women to expand the imagination of man-mind. Thank you for giving us the audacity to dream.

It was almost exactly ten years ago that Jay Lake received the John Campbell Award for Best New Writer, an honor named after the father of modern science-fiction and widely recognized as one of the most prestigious awards in the industry.

Jay Lake has published over three hundred works in total, including ten novels and scores of scholarly articles and short stories. He is also a mainstay and one of the most recognizable figures at almost every sci-fi convention.

But today, Jay Lake is fighting for his life, battling a possibly terminal case of colon cancer. Originally diagnosed in 2008, Jay’s cancer continues to spread, and recent news from Jay's site is not auspicious.

“Right now I’m not really capable of hope. Not in a large scale sense. If the whole genome sequencing of my tumor produces a new treatment direction, that may change. Otherwise, the trend of my illness is sharply unfavorable of me making any long term plans.”

The next step in Jay’s treatment is to try genome sequencing, a process that compares the sequence of a cancer cell to a normal cell. Genome sequencing is a pricey procedure that usually costs in the $15,000 to $20,000 range - given that Jay’s treatment must be expedited, it will be every bit of that and probably much more.

Colleagues and friends of Jay are asking for help from the science-fiction community in an effort to help improve Jay's condition.

So far over $20,000 has been raised, but with 28 days left in the fundraising campaign, there are still several milestones the group is looking to raise, with some incentives built in for BIG donors, including:

- NYT Author Tobias Buckwell reading an “embarrassing story” he wrote when he was 14.
- Author Cherie Priest presenting a goth fashion show…for pets
- Neil Gaiman performing a song of a donor’s choosing
- A radio play of one of Jay’s short stories

If you would like to offer your support for one of the most talented science fiction writers of the past decade, visit Jay’s YouCaring page and consider making a donation

To learn more about Jay’s story and to read more of his inspiring insights, visit his website here.

From all of us here at the Space 2099 team, Gods Speed, Jay. We are all thinking of you.

Space 1999 fans are more than familiar with the allure of the moon, but conversations are heating up around astronomers transporting asteroids within the lunar orbit, in the near future.

The idea isn't terribly new and has been floated around as early as 1903, with the Russian space pioneer Konstantin Tsiolkovsky writing about using asteroid resources in the publication: The Exploration of Cosmic Space by Means of Reaction Motors. Tsiolovsky, a rocket scientist, also discussed the idea of using liquid hydrogen and oxygen for multistage rockets in space exploration.

Now, over a hundred years later, the idea is gaining steam. We now have the ability to capture Near Earth Asteroids (NEA) and know how to build solar power systems to move the asteroids. Perhaps most importantly, NASA now has a highly publicized timetable to get humans beyond low earth orbit by 2025.

With that being said, The White House's Office of Science and Technology is ruminating over a $2.6 billion proposal to use robotic spacecraft to transport a 500-ton asteroid to the lunar orbit by 2025. The proposal was put together by the Keck Institute, to identify more practical and cost efficient ways to transport resources into orbit.

The plan could offer an “affordable path to providing operational experience with astronauts working around and with a NEA (Near Earth Asteroid) that could feed forward to much longer duration human missions to larger NEAs in deep space."

The idea also could launch an entire industry in and of itself, according to the report:

“NASA would be putting human explorers in contact with an ancient, scientifically intriguing, and economically valuable body beyond the moon, an achievement that would compare very favorably to any attempts to repeat the Apollo lunar landings.”

Given the more recent trends to focus on using non earth objects/asteroids to our advantage, what role do you believe asteroids will play in our endeavors to advance space travel? Do you think asteroids will be orbiting the moon in 2099?

It is with much sadness and deep reverence that we must announce that Gerry Anderson, the creator of numerous television series and specifically the Space: 1999 series, has passed away at the age of 83.

While fans of Space: 1999 will of course forever remember Anderson’s contribution as the creator of the series we've loved for nearly four decades, it's worth noting Anderson originally grew up wanting to be an architect - but an allergic reaction to plaster paved the way to his becoming a director/producer by the 1960’s.

One of his earliest sci-fi productions was Supercar, the first in a series of 8 shows to use what would become one of his most popular styles of storytelling: supermarionation.

Supermarionation was essentially the process of electrically syncing puppets with the sound of the voice artists. The process would become most famous with the critically acclaimed and ever popular series Thunderbirds, which transcended global audiences for over two seasons.

Thunderbirds began as a hit in the U.K. on ITV and later landed on Saturday Morning in the U.S. It was also the influence of the offbeat, comedy film Team America and Stargate SG: U 200th episode.

Anderson said that sci-fi was always something he was interested in, and it potentially spurred the creation of his children’s space show, Fireball XL5.

"I’ve always been interested in the idea of space exploration…the theory of rockets being able to travel through space was very much alive."

According to his son Jamie Anderson, Gerry’s passion was deeply rooted in ALL of his works.

“His desire to make the best films he could drove him, and his talented teams to innovate, take risks, and do everything necessary to produce inspirational work."

Rumor has it that Fireball XL5 was oddly enough coined after a can of motor oil Anderson had used, and lasted a full season in 1962.

It wasn’t until the early 70’s that Anderson, with then wife Sylvia Anderson, began production on Space: 1999, originally dubbed as UFO: 1999.

Space: 1999 was a space opera that shared many of the same helping hands as Anderson’s (including SFX director Brian Johnson) Thunderbirds team, albeit Space: 1999 was a live action series.

The series was discussed by the Wall Street Journal in 1975:

"It would be facile to compare it with Star Trek, but nonetheless a helpful comparison...Space: 1999, is like a Star Trek shot full of methedrine. It is the most flashy, gorgeous sci-fi trip ever to appear on TV. Watching it each week is very close to being under the influence of a consciousness altering drug."

It brought new enthusiasm to an otherwise dark era of science fiction, and created a cult following of fans that still hold up today.

Summing up the impact of Gerry Anderson was Fanderson Chairperson Nick Williams:

To those who met him Gerry was a quiet, unassuming but determined man. His desire to make the best films he could drove him and his talented teams to innovate, take risks, and do everything necessary to produce quite inspirational works. Gerry’s legacy is that he inspired so many people and continues to bring so much joy to so many millions of people around the world.

Anderson’s work in Space: 1999 brought science fiction fans across the globe together in a way that is still felt today through numerous conventions worldwide such as ALPHA: 2012. The iconic Eagle Transporter is still a topic of discussion today amongst fan pages.

Additionally, Anderson was an advocate and voice speaking out for others living with Alzheimer’s disease, even leading up to the final year of his life.

For those who want to again experience some of the great legacy that Gerry left us all, you can purchase the DVD for Space: 1999, here.

Or to participate in some of the discussion and passion that Gerry helped create, please check out the facebook pages for fan groups like Space: 1999 fan group.

On behalf of the entire Space: 2099 team, we'd like to salute Gerry and show our deepest appreciation and gratitude for his great contributions. Without his hard work and extraordinary vision, the world would simply not have been the same, and certainly the Space: 2099 project would not exist!

Gerry, we are humbled before you. Thank you for your gifts. Your exploration of the Mysterious Unknown Force continues...

It was a memorable and inspiring year in science and exploration: we learned more about our neighboring planets then possibly ever before and said goodbye to some of humanity’s greatest pioneers.

2012 was billed as the year of the Apocalypse, dictated by literal slabs of history carved out over a millennial ago. But like 1910, when Haley’s comet was supposed to take out humanity, earthlings found a way to live on and thrive.

For proof, here are the top Scientific moments, stories, and events that happened in 2012.



5) Discovery of Earthlike planet near Alpha Centauri

Discovered just 4.4 light years away from Earth in the nearby constellation of Alpha Centauri was “Earth’s Exoplanet Twin.”

While Alpha Centauri Bb has a similar mass to Earth, its travel time around the sun is roughly once every three days, meaning it probably has a molten hot surface and is far from habitable.

The achievement however did mark a planet with Earth-like characteristics within the range of the telescope, albeit our ability to travel to the destination is a ways off.

4) Higgs Boson Discovered

It wasn’t the sexiest story to land on the front page, but easily was one of the biggest breakthrough discoveries of the year.

For more than four decades, scientists have been chasing the sub-atomic particle, but were finally able to “capture it” using the world’s largest atom smashing machine (with a $5.5 billion price tag).

The discovery proved that there are energy fields surrounding us, giving mass to the fundamental particles that make up the world. It may also play a key role in how the universe has evolved and was created.



3) NASA Endeavor/Dragon X

While NASA’s Endeavor Space Shuttle was doing a victory lap in October, a spacecraft funded by a private corporation, Space X, docked on the International Space Station a few months earlier.

It was a fitting transition, as the government run space program received a cargo boost contracted through a private company – helping to fuel the new industry of private space commercialization and industrialization.

As an encore, Space X’s Founder, Elon Musk, has announced he wants to establish an 80,000 person moon base in the near future.



2) Chinese Female Astronaut/ death of Sally Ride

With the passing of Sally Ride, the first American woman to enter into low earth orbit, also came the first female Chinese astronaut to launch into space.

Liu Yang was 33 when she went on her 13-day mission into space, a journey that began two years prior when she entered in the CSNA (China’s National Space Administration).

"From day one I have been told I am no different from the male astronauts," she told state media.

"As a pilot, I flew in the sky. Now that I am an astronaut, I will fly in space. This flight will be much higher and further away.”



1) NASA lands Mars Curiosity

“Touchdown confirmed. We’re safe on Mars.”

In six words, NASA had accomplished what many had spent over a decade trying to achieve – after traveling 253 days, the Mars Curiosity Rover touched down on the Red Planet.

The project’s genesis can be traced back to 1998 with the Polar Lander, increasing the significance of its touchdown but also signifying the patience needed to travel roughly 200 million miles.

The Rover’s landing brought public enthusiasm back to an agency that had in many circles become ignored and made the solar system feel a bit smaller.

Most importantly, it’s spurred a series of additional projects that have included sending more rovers to Mars and possibly exploring Jupiter’s Europa Moon.

It was back in August that Earthlings realized traveling to another planet, albeit by a rover, was now merely a plot for feature films.

With the success and increase in public enthusiasm for space travel brought on by the Curiosity, NASA announced last week that it plans to launch another rover to mars by 2020, this one in the $1.5 billion price range.

This mission would be preceded by the Maven and InSight orbiter and landers expected to blast off for the red planet in 2013 and 2016, respectively.

But in the sake of thinking beyond Mars, NASA is also developing plans to investigate the habitability of Jupiter’s fourth largest moon, Europa, in what is being dubbed the “Clipper” mission.

"We briefed (NASA) headquarters on Monday, and they responded very positively," mission proponent David Senske, f NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said here Dec. 7 at the annual fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union.

The $2 billion unmanned Europa Clipper, which could be ready to launch by 2021 or so, would also do vital reconnaissance work for a potential lander mission in the future.
Europa is believed to be one of the solar systems most likely candidates to host life beyond earth. Europa stretches about as wide as the United States Yukon River runs long (1900 miles) and is believed to harbor oceans of liquid water beneath its icy shell (its surface temperature averages in the -250F range).
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NASA has been intrigued by Europa for a number of years, with proposals for missions dating back to the Jupiter Europa Orbiter, a $4.5 billion project that would have brought more data on Europa and Jupiter’s Lo moon, the fourth largest moon in the solar system and easily one of the most VOLCANIC.

The project was said to be a) too expensive and b) not focused enough, so thus came the Clipper mission, an orbiter with the ability to carry ice penetrating radar, topographical imager, and a magnetmoter.

The orbiter would circle Europa for roughly 2.5 years, coming within 15 miles of the moon’s suface.

If and when the Clipper orbiter becomes a possibility, it would take roughly 6 years to travel from Earth to Europa.

Most importantly, however, it would further increase earthlings knowledge of the solar system and make landing rovers and possibly inhabitants more possible by the year 2099.

NASA spent $18 billion last year to try and forward the endeavor of human space exploration.

Now Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla Motors, Paypal, and Spacex believes we should double that expenditure to build a 80,000 person space colony.

How would we begin the endeavor?

A crew of a dozen or so individuals/pioneers would begin the colonization, traveling to Mars on a “huge reusable rocket powered by liquid oxygen and methane.”

"At Mars, you can start a self-sustaining civilization and grow it into something really big,"

From there, Musks estimates that we could transport an estimated 80,000 colonists “from all backgrounds” at $500,000 a person.

How would that mass transport be accomplished?

The Dragon capsule, which is being built to transport current NASA astronauts to the ISS, has been ruled out.

According to Space.com, The rocket Musks wants use to transport aspiring Mars colonists is an evolution of SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster, which launches Dragon.

"It’s going to be much bigger [than Falcon 9], but I don’t think we’re quite ready to state the payload. We’ll speak about that next year," Musk said.

Given that the United States has a debt that exceeds its GDP, convincing the public sector to invest in what right now is a PRIVATE endeavor may be something of a challenge. Despite this fact, Musk hasn’t slowed down his efforts to making the colonization of Mars a collaboration between Government and Private companies like his own.

"Some money has to be spent on establishing a base on Mars. It’s about getting the basic fundamentals in place," Musk said.

"That was true of the English colonies [in the Americas]; it took a significant expense to get things started. But once there are regular Mars flights, you can get the cost down to half a million dollars for someone to move to Mars. Then I think there are enough people who would buy that to have it be a reasonable business case."

80 years ago, the purchase price of a coast to coast plane ticket was $260 via airplane, roughly half the cost of a Ford Model A automobile.

Today that cost is exponentially cheaper, and one can only wonder…if we seriously begin the endeavor of colonizing Mars now, how much could it potentially lower the purchase price of a ticket in 2099?