SANCTUARY�Beyond the �Technological Sublime

Justin Corneau

The Awe of Nature

Background Information

Important Terms and Definitions

• Sublime: Of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe (Ex. Mt Everest, Sahara Desert)

​

• Technological Sublime: Admiration and awe inspired by technology and its applications (Ex. Spaceflight, The Internet and Gene Editing)

​

• Cosmopolitanism: Free from local, provincial, or national ideas, prejudices, or attachments; at home all over the world (Ex. E Pluribus Unum)

​

• Syncretism: the combining of different beliefs, while blending practices of various schools of thought.

​

​

​

The Overview Effect

First proposed by Frank White after interviewing astronauts for a theory that he had involving space settlers.

​

Frank found that viewing the Earth from space has often prompted astronauts to report overwhelming emotion and feelings of identification with humankind and the planet as a whole.

​

​

The Overview Effect

“…Truly transformative experiences involving senses of wonder and awe, unity with nature, transcendence and universal brotherhood”

• Douglas Vakoch, Ph.D.

​

“With all the arguments, pro and con, for going to the Moon, no one suggested that we should do it to look at the Earth. But that may in fact be the most important reason.”

- Shuttle astronaut Joseph P. Allen

​

The Overview Effect

“The Overview Effect may be among the most meaningful aspects of space flight and may form an important buffer against some of the psychological risks of space missions.”

– Yaden et al

Humanity’s Quest for our Purpose

• Ancient appreciation for the Unknown
• Spiritual Mathematics, Sacred Geometry
• Tradition and ceremony

Humanity & Spirituality

“Religion stripped of all customs and liturgical practice may be called Spirituality. It’s the wonderment that explorers feel when they are exposed to Nature’s secrets and to new dimensions of human experience.”

– Madhu Thangavelu

​

Continuing our Quest

• NSC/ASRA launching USA back to our Moon
• World is returning to our Moon
• Unite humans instead of divide
• Must create forward thinking architecture
• Emphasize Cosmopolitanism on Moon
• Long term support for Humans on Moon

​

​

​

A New Viewpoint

Looking back to look forward

What will humans need here?

A Lunar Sanctuary

Baseline Requirements

• Autonomous Phased Construction
• 3-D printed structure
• Utilize human assisted robotic construction with near future technologies
• Threshold: Mental and Spiritual Rejuvenation
• Meditation, reflection and relaxation
• Syncretism - All faiths congregation space
• Utilize Overview Effect to enlighten human perspective
• Pioneer a Lunar surface experience for humans on Earth via virtual reality
• Objective: Alternative habitat utilization
• Lunar Archival Facility (DNA, Archives, Time Capsules)
• Lunar Cemetery

Location Analysis

• Malapert Massif Summit
• ~100% light from Sun
• ~100% Earth LOS
• Within round trip (rover) battery range to Lunar Colony
• Line-of-sight with Lunar Settlement
• Consistent light source

Construction

3D Printing

Layout

Virtual Reality

Enabling humans on Earth to view the Earth from the Moon. Utilize SpaceVR technology in modular package to allow maximum mobility

Laser Communication

A Look into the Future

Inspiration for Change and Growth

Private Sector and Commercialization

• Subscription based live VR broadcasting from our Moon’s surface
• Earth Based “Lunar Experience Centers”
• Space Tourism Destination
• ASRA inspired Lunar Entrepreneurship

Areas for Future Study

• Necessary equipment for concept implementation
• Power and link budget for VR equipment
• Total project cost including launch and operation costs
• Psychological changes due to cognitive shifts via the Overview Effect

Today’s Experience

What is Possible for our Species

Thank You

References

European Space Agency, April 2014. Laser-powered farewell to Moon mission. [Online] �Available at: https://phys.org/news/2014-04-laser-powered-farewell-moon-mission.html�[Accessed October 2017].

Hultgren, J., Aug 2016. Life-changing "Overview Effect" is Made Accessible with VR. [Online] �Available at: http://www.mindfullyalive.com/blog/2016/8/12/life-changing-overview-effect-is-made-accessible-with-vr�[Accessed December 2017].

Kramer, M., February 2013. How 3D Printers Could Build Futuristic Moon Colony. [Online] �Available at: https://www.space.com/19602-moon-colony-3d-printing-lunar-dirt.html�[Accessed September 2017].

NASA, 1992. Space Resources: Social Concerns, Washington D.C.: U.S Government Printing Office.

Nye, D. E., 1996. American Technological Sublime. Reprint ed. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London, England: The MIT Press.

SpaceVR, 2017. SpaceVR. [Online] �Available at: https://www.spacevr.co/#spacevr�[Accessed October 2017].

Thangavelu, M., July 6th, 2011. My Take: Space travel is a spiritual experience. [Online] �Available at: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/06/my-take-space-travel-is-a-spiritual-experience/�[Accessed October 2017].

Thangavelu,M..(2014) Human Space Activity: The Spiritual Imperative, Journal of Space Philosophy, Vol.3 #1 Spring 2014, http://www.bobkrone.com/sites/default/files/Human%20Space%20Activity%20The%20Spiritual%20Imperative%20-%20Madhu%20Thangavelu.pdf

Thangavelu, M.,(2017) Space Spiritual Dimension, Journal of Space Philosophy Vol 6 #1, International Space Development Conference , St.Louis, MO,

http://keplerspaceinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/JSP-Fall-2017-12_Thangavelu-Final.pdf

The Overview Institute, 2012. The Overview Institute. [Online] �Available at: http://www.overviewinstitute.org/�[Accessed September 2017].

White, F., July 2017. "No One Said We Should Go To the Moon to Look at the Earth: The Overview Effect". FISO Telecon: Frank White.

White, F., September 2014. The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution. 3rd ed. Reston, VA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Yaden, D. et al., 2016. The Overview Effect: Awe and Self-Transcendent Experience in Space Flight. Psychology of Cnsciousness: Theory, Research and Practice, 3(1), pp. 1-11.