What if...

February 18, 2009 9:03 PM

The Signtific Labinvites people to develop cutting-edge ideas through experiments of imagination and discussion. Experiment One: what would happen if outer space becomes as accessible as the Web today?
posted by divabat (12 comments total)

Well, there would be a whole lot more porn out in space than there is today.
posted by b1tr0t at 9:05 PM on February 18 [2 favorites has favorites]

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.

Popups colliding off the shoulder of Freedirectoryscan-96. I've watched spambots harvesting right declinations and ascensions in the darkness by the Hotornot Gate. All this...malware...will be lost in time, like that one file you downloaded from Limewire but you forgot where you put it. Time...to reformat.
posted by turgid dahlia at 9:19 PM on February 18 [7 favorites has favorites]

Jesus.... I was so confused for about 2 hours regarding this page.

I mean, mostly just because of the Institute for the Future moniker at the bottom. And I had run across the site Institute for Human Continuity only days before.

What a blast that was; thinking I was going crazy, not being able to tell truth from fiction... checking terms of use policy to make sure I wasn't going crazy at all...

Man this internet has got to stop messing with me...
posted by Khazk at 11:15 PM on February 18

Outer space... as accessible as the web is today? Well, presumably we would all suffocate.
posted by mek at 2:24 AM on February 19

That's a question, not an experiment.
posted by DU at 4:41 AM on February 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

Outer space... as accessible as the web is today?

Then I'm loadin' up my busted-ass cruiser, strappin' in a few cases and tunes, and hauling ass to Tau Ceti. Enjoy the Solar System dudes! Catch ya never!"

*BLASTOFF!*
posted by The Whelk at 7:21 AM on February 19

So long, and thanks for all the phishing.
posted by blue_beetle at 8:23 AM on February 19

In 2019, cubesats — space satellites smaller than a shoebox — have become very cheap and very popular. For $100, anyone can put a customized personal satellite into low-earth orbit.

One billion satellites, many just junk to begin with, and all sent up with lots of unnecessary rockets. A constant rain of crappy falling satellites visible at night, if the smoke of their launches doesn't obscure our view. Or are they going to be hoisted on that silly elevator? In any event, they're still falling, still burning, still polluting the night sky.

And if you can launch a small satellite for a hundred bucks, larger, smokier space vehicles will also be pretty cheap. Instead of Disneyland, people will go to space on package tours, where they will look out the window and see other tourists in other tourist machines led by other tour guides. And they'll see a billion 'cubesats' flying by, until one comes through the window and they all die and burn up. Yay!
posted by pracowity at 8:47 AM on February 19

I can't. This is important. Someone is wrong in outer space.
posted by Foosnark at 8:53 AM on February 19

what would happen if outer space becomes as accessible as the Web today?

I like space, don't want of you people there.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:03 AM on February 19

Branddon, I've got extra fuel and some really killer Centurari Hash, Lets fuck the losers. Beteguise. Lets do Betelguise. The Syreen are friendly. And Lonely. Hit the blast ports and crank up the Chuck Berry, I feel A warp drive comin' on.
posted by The Whelk at 8:04 PM on February 19 [1 favorite has favorites]

I don't know how feasible or realistic it is, but I wanna live in The Whelk's future.
posted by lekvar at 8:15 PM on February 19