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From: wmartin@ALMSA-1.ARPA (Will Martin -- AMXAL-RI)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Automated craft
Message-ID: <8512042003.AA25298@s1-b.arpa>
Date: Wed, 4-Dec-85 14:57:53 EST
Article-I.D.: s1-b.8512042003.AA25298
Posted: Wed Dec  4 14:57:53 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 5-Dec-85 20:49:39 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The ARPA Internet
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>>But why should one want to integrate manned and unmanned space travel?
>For the same reason we don't have unmanned cargo planes (or trains, or ships).
>It makes good sense to have people there in case something goes wrong (which
>is, if anything, *more* likely in a complex activity like spaceflight than
>in rail transport).

I realize that this is straying quite far off the subject, but the above
comment brought something to mind, and I wonder if anyone else recalls
details about this: I have a vague recollection of a plan for automated
and unmanned ocean-going *sailing* ships to haul bulk cargo which has no
requirement for speedy delivery or is in any way perishable (like ore or
raw materials, for example).

These would use a variety of sensors to feed data to the automated
controller, and high-tech sail designs (like rotor types or other
advanced concepts) to provide a method of moving quantities of material
at very low per-ton cost, there being no fuel expense or sailors' wages
to pay. I believe I saw drawings of proposed configurations and some
brief description, but nothing more. Does anyone else recall this
concept? Anyone have any info on further research or development being
done for this, or was it a pipe dream that got no farther than a blurb in
Popular Science or the like?

As far as the safety hazards of such an unmanned device, I don't recall
seeing any discussion of that aspect. There would be some, of course,
but one would think that radio-controlled overrides or shut-offs and the
like would reduce the risks to an acceptable level. (Of course, the
controlling computer could always go mad and try to rule the world... 
Where have I seen *that* script before? :-)

Though this certainly isn't "space" per se, it is the same sort of
high-tech concept discussed by those interested in space, and the
problems of designing such an independent automaton are related to those
of working with planetary exploration robots and the like. And there
isn't any other ARPA group that would be better for discussing this.
(USENETters can forward copies to net.rec.boat if they want. :-)

Will Martin

ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA     USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin