Finding Hickman …
John Hickman’s criticism of the failed Outer Space Treaty article is reverberating (see Eros Pace’s post below) through the blogosphere. An earlier, perhaps less well-crafted essay co-authored by John and myself appeared as “Resurrecting the Space Age: A State-Centered Commentary on the Outer Space Regime,” in Comparative Strategy 21 (Winter) 2002: 1-45. Here is an excerpt:
In 1968, Stanley Kubrick adapted Arthur C. Clarke’s short story, “The Sentinel,” into one of the signature films of the space age. The script for 2001: A Space Odyssey was co-written by Clarke and Kubrick (Clarke would write the novel of the same name only after the movie was already in production). Clarke prided himself on technical accuracy, and Kubrick was rigorous, almost fanatic, in his devotion to realism and detail. This was no Buck Rogers death ray farce. No versions of Star Trek’s personnel transporter or unexplained energy fields were conjured for plot accommodation. No roar of rocket engines was heard in empty space. The audience was not expected to suspend its disbelief to accept the premise of this story. Everything pictured was within our certain grasp. Surely in no more than thirty years, we would have a permanent presence on the moon, a fully functional giant wheel space station in low earth orbit, and regular passenger service to both. This was not the far-fetched prophesy of an amateur yarn spinner, making up technical marvels to fill gaps in the story. This was real. This is what American and Soviet space programs would accomplish—easily—before the end of the century.
The new millennium is here. Where did the future go?