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This generalization isn't true. One modern example is manufacturing optical fibers like ZBLAN[1] -- they work great when you bring them back to Earth. Another n

This generalization isn't true. One modern example is manufacturing optical fibers like ZBLAN[1] -- they work great when you bring them back to Earth. Another new example is 3d printing organs in microgravity[2] to take them back to Earth. The traditional example is doing basic physics that needs long duration microgravity. These sorts of research aren't a large fraction of what's currently done on the ISS, but it's also not zero. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZBLAN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZBLAN 2: https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/growing-human-organs-in-space https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/growing-human-...

deleted 7y ago
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Retric 7y ago
The need for microgravity to manufacture these things is demonstrating my point.
- greglindahl 7y ago
  Then I totally didn't get your point. These are things that you manufacture in microgravity that are then usable in gravity. Isn't that what you said did not exist?
  - Retric 7y ago
    I am saying testing say crystal formation in space is only relevant for crystal formation in space. If that’s what you’re going to do aka manufacturing in space then sure experimenting in space is required. Getting the economics to look promising for actually manufacturing in space then that’s a separate thing. Aka Manufacturing would be that larger goal I was referencing.
    - rtkwe 7y ago
      It's not though the crystals are used to determine the structure of the molecule itself through XRay crystallography. We have to grow larger crystals that are then used to determine the shape of the individual molecules. Some crystalize easily and we were able to study them using crystals grown here on Earth but others were more difficult and had to be grown in space. Just because the research takes place in space doesn't mean it's only applicable in space!
      - Retric 7y ago
        You can do that same XRay crystallography on the same substances on earth. Going to space is pure cost benefit analysis for growing crystals, not some exclusive experiment you can only do in space. That said, when you get a massive subsidy by NASA, these costs are less obvious.
        rtkwe 7y ago
        You can't currently because we've not been able to grow sufficiently high quality crystals here on Earth with gravity. Basically anything that needs more than 30-60 seconds of microgravity can't be done anywhere on Earth no matter how much money you want to spend. NASA is already up there to learn about the effects on the human body (which again we can only really do holistically actually IN space) so trying to put the whole cost amortized over all the experiments isn't going to come up with a reasonable number. But even beyond that this is precisely what governments are supposed to do, gather and distribute costs that would make little sense for individual companies or even massive conglomerates to do.

deleted 7y ago

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Retric 7y ago

The need for microgravity to manufacture these things is demonstrating my point.

greglindahl 7y ago
Then I totally didn't get your point. These are things that you manufacture in microgravity that are then usable in gravity. Isn't that what you said did not exist?
- Retric 7y ago
  I am saying testing say crystal formation in space is only relevant for crystal formation in space. If that’s what you’re going to do aka manufacturing in space then sure experimenting in space is required. Getting the economics to look promising for actually manufacturing in space then that’s a separate thing. Aka Manufacturing would be that larger goal I was referencing.
  - rtkwe 7y ago
    It's not though the crystals are used to determine the structure of the molecule itself through XRay crystallography. We have to grow larger crystals that are then used to determine the shape of the individual molecules. Some crystalize easily and we were able to study them using crystals grown here on Earth but others were more difficult and had to be grown in space. Just because the research takes place in space doesn't mean it's only applicable in space!
    - Retric 7y ago
      You can do that same XRay crystallography on the same substances on earth. Going to space is pure cost benefit analysis for growing crystals, not some exclusive experiment you can only do in space. That said, when you get a massive subsidy by NASA, these costs are less obvious.
      - rtkwe 7y ago
        You can't currently because we've not been able to grow sufficiently high quality crystals here on Earth with gravity. Basically anything that needs more than 30-60 seconds of microgravity can't be done anywhere on Earth no matter how much money you want to spend. NASA is already up there to learn about the effects on the human body (which again we can only really do holistically actually IN space) so trying to put the whole cost amortized over all the experiments isn't going to come up with a reasonable number. But even beyond that this is precisely what governments are supposed to do, gather and distribute costs that would make little sense for individual companies or even massive conglomerates to do.