Bahamian Perspectives on SpaceX Rocket Landing in The Bahamas
SUDDENLY NEARLY EVERY BAHAMIAN IS A ROCKETEER; WHETHER FOR OR AGAINST!
Nassau, NP, The Bahamas
But I am overqualified to speak to the methodical protocols of the public debate…which essentially if my official role as “National Public Reader!"
To start: let’s stop all this gapseed and fast talk that has so many engaged.
The matter of these rocket landings can’t be assessed one dimensionally or emotionally.
We can’t just imagine every permutation of potential impact, as a mean. It’s like people are saying, “gurrl I felt my finger hurt when that rocket landed. "We at risk!"
Alternatively, we can’t evangelise benefits we could have but never built into this opportunity. We can’t start talking about “space tourism”, which has nothing to do with watching rocket landings and more to do with actually going into space…which we are not doing!!
In both sides: those who talk as if any potential negative possibility is a risk and those who think that they can just claim that suddenly The Bahamas is a player in the space game. We could be…but we are NOT; because that’s not what we designed or cultivated.
More importantly, we must take more matured, rather than a wild speculative approach; on both sides!
"Public rationality” is the ability of a society to frame agreements and disagreements around ratios informed by a fact-pattern that is acceptable to all sides, even when they disagree. The discourse around this rope tells me we need more Baysians Logic, statistics and probability together with general knowledge of risk metrics; starting in kindergarten!
When we consider these rocket landings, we must consider….mmmmmmmm…some basics:
First, there is the question of Musk himself. Some people are offended by his character and attitudes and thinks black nation should not entertain such a person. That must be weighted against the variety of personalities - many actual Nazis and gangsters - we’ve dealt with over the decades in The Bahamas; with known similar odious views!
Second, risks-benefits analysis are always comparative: it is, invariably always a calculus…of the actual or potential downsides in their variety (as was spoken to above), offset by relevant, substantive and potential, nameable, actionable benefits.
First, the thug has happened: we can’t be talking now about what this “could mean to The Bahamas”.
We’re not 7!
We must say what the 3 or 5 initiatives are that we are doing. These may include internships at Space X, Saturday master classes in rocket science, certified post-landing cleanup technicians etc.
We mustn’t say it’s the first time a rocket took off from in country and landed in another. It’s not true. John Glenn landed at Turks and Caicos, February 2nd. 1962…and I can guarantee you, he didn’t take off from there. Perhaps based on the clear skies designation of Turks and Caicos and The Bahamas, together with the angular geometry of rocket launches that designate the Bahama region for landing, we would develop a joint space monitoring centre.
If you want to go big: maybe the last scheduled launch should be a Bahamas satellite.
When it comes to the risks, we must be diligent…but we mustn’t be to cute:
We have been a greater threat to our environment than any external force. Any assessment should begin with our own renewed sensibilities toward our neglected responsibilities based upon public rationalities.
So the question isn’t whether the sensible risk concerns raised are irreparable determinants; but are the overrides, offsets, compensations, redundancies and other inter-leavening weights in our risk models, such that overall it generates net benefits for The Bahamas?
Otherwise everyone will simply jump in talking about flies and roaches that are being “impacted”.
Rather let’s use this moment to show we are capable of credible ASSESSMENTS, productive of instructive risk/benefits ratios.
Have we such an outtake?
