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Crossing the Threshold: Advancing Into Space to Benefit the Earth
Space for a World of Abundance
Space has been called "the final frontier," "the great beyond," and "the endless void," but it may also be "the key to a sustainable world of abundance." In Crossing the Advancing into Space to Benefit the Earth, Paul Wieland presents a vision of a secure, sustainable future--with abundant energy, resources, and opportunities while ensuring a healthy environment and a high standard of living--and shows how advancing our efforts in space can help us achieve it.
Written for a general audience and including personal anecdotes from the author, Crossing the Threshold considers the major challenges we are facing in the 21st century and poses the For these challenges, what are the opportunities and benefits that space activities could provide? How could our activities in space enhance other solutions? What specific actions might be included in a space program designed to address the major challenges?
There is a physical threshold, crossed as a spacecraft leaves the atmosphere for the vacuum of space, but there is also a threshold of awareness which is crossed when the entire Earth is seen against the backdrop of space, revealing the interdependence of everything on Earth. We have the power to transform the Earth, as well as ourselves, and can create a sustainable world of abundance with opportunities for everyone to live more fulfilling and secure lives, and we can become a space-faring civilization while doing so. Explore the possibilities in Crossing the Threshold .
What people are
"Paul Wieland knows space from the bottom-up...and offers a fresh and valuable perspective. I intended only to skim the book but became so interested I soon found myself deeply involved in reading it." - Norm Augustine, author of Augustine's Laws and appointed in 2009 by President Obama to determine options for NASA
" Crossing the Threshold is a carefully considered, insightful narrative that should interest anyone and everyone who cares about the future of spaceflight." - Homer Hickam, author of Rocket Boys/October Sky
" Crossing the Threshold is a NASA veteran's thoughtful and considered look at the value of space travel and exploration, not only for satisfying humanity's seemingly unquenchable thirst for adventure and knowledge but also for preparing and positioning us technically to begin to solve some of the greatest problems facing us on Earth." - Henry Petroski, author of The Essential Why Science Alone Will Not Solve Our Global Problems
Crossing the Threshold "is very impressive for the range of ideas and technical specifics." - Felix Godwin, author of The Exploration of the Solar System .
Space has been called "the final frontier," "the great beyond," and "the endless void," but it may also be "the key to a sustainable world of abundance." In Crossing the Advancing into Space to Benefit the Earth, Paul Wieland presents a vision of a secure, sustainable future--with abundant energy, resources, and opportunities while ensuring a healthy environment and a high standard of living--and shows how advancing our efforts in space can help us achieve it.
Written for a general audience and including personal anecdotes from the author, Crossing the Threshold considers the major challenges we are facing in the 21st century and poses the For these challenges, what are the opportunities and benefits that space activities could provide? How could our activities in space enhance other solutions? What specific actions might be included in a space program designed to address the major challenges?
There is a physical threshold, crossed as a spacecraft leaves the atmosphere for the vacuum of space, but there is also a threshold of awareness which is crossed when the entire Earth is seen against the backdrop of space, revealing the interdependence of everything on Earth. We have the power to transform the Earth, as well as ourselves, and can create a sustainable world of abundance with opportunities for everyone to live more fulfilling and secure lives, and we can become a space-faring civilization while doing so. Explore the possibilities in Crossing the Threshold .
What people are
"Paul Wieland knows space from the bottom-up...and offers a fresh and valuable perspective. I intended only to skim the book but became so interested I soon found myself deeply involved in reading it." - Norm Augustine, author of Augustine's Laws and appointed in 2009 by President Obama to determine options for NASA
" Crossing the Threshold is a carefully considered, insightful narrative that should interest anyone and everyone who cares about the future of spaceflight." - Homer Hickam, author of Rocket Boys/October Sky
" Crossing the Threshold is a NASA veteran's thoughtful and considered look at the value of space travel and exploration, not only for satisfying humanity's seemingly unquenchable thirst for adventure and knowledge but also for preparing and positioning us technically to begin to solve some of the greatest problems facing us on Earth." - Henry Petroski, author of The Essential Why Science Alone Will Not Solve Our Global Problems
Crossing the Threshold "is very impressive for the range of ideas and technical specifics." - Felix Godwin, author of The Exploration of the Solar System .
274 pages, Hardcover
First published June 8, 2010
About the author
Paul O Wieland PE
1 bookPaul Wieland is a professional engineer (P.E.) who earned degrees in botany and mechanical engineering from the University
of Louisville (Kentucky). From 1983 to 2005, he was a NASA civil servant at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, working primarily on development of the environmental control and life support systems for the International Space Station and other space missions. In 1991 he was a founding member of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Life Support. Pursuing his interests in sustainability and energy efficiency, from 1989 to 1991 he founded and ran Wiseland Products, the first paper company in Alabama to carry recycled paper products; he served as a technical adviser to the American Lung Association Health House 96 project in Huntsville, AL, to demonstrate that it is possible to build a house that is energy efficient and has good indoor air quality, and later renovated three 60-year-old houses to meet the Health House
criteria; and, in 2009, he became a LEED Accredited Professional. He also converted a Ford F-250 diesel pickup truck to run on waste vegetable oil. Paul enjoys hiking and camping; contra dancing and swing dancinghe founded the Huntsville Swing Dance Society in 1995; and making potteryhe co-founded the Tennessee Valley Ceramic Arts Guild in 2008.
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of Louisville (Kentucky). From 1983 to 2005, he was a NASA civil servant at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, working primarily on development of the environmental control and life support systems for the International Space Station and other space missions. In 1991 he was a founding member of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Life Support. Pursuing his interests in sustainability and energy efficiency, from 1989 to 1991 he founded and ran Wiseland Products, the first paper company in Alabama to carry recycled paper products; he served as a technical adviser to the American Lung Association Health House 96 project in Huntsville, AL, to demonstrate that it is possible to build a house that is energy efficient and has good indoor air quality, and later renovated three 60-year-old houses to meet the Health House
criteria; and, in 2009, he became a LEED Accredited Professional. He also converted a Ford F-250 diesel pickup truck to run on waste vegetable oil. Paul enjoys hiking and camping; contra dancing and swing dancinghe founded the Huntsville Swing Dance Society in 1995; and making potteryhe co-founded the Tennessee Valley Ceramic Arts Guild in 2008.
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