Welcome to the latest Fireside Chat! I sat
down (ie emailed back and forth, but I’m sure there was a roaring fire at some
point) with Brian Ramos, an all-around awesome person with degrees in
engineering and a Masters in International Space Studies. He previously did
work with Engineering World Health (a non-profit that works to improve
healthcare systems in developing countries). He also recently completed an 8
month long stint in the HI-SEAS Mars habitat. This
essentially saw him living inside a dome, next to one volcano and on the slopes
of another, alongside a small crew, to help the study of what these kind of
living conditions would be like for potential future manned missions to Mars.
So we talked about his experiences and his ideas about depictions of space in
media and science-fiction.- Chloe
Can you tell us a bit about your background
and interest in space and science?
My academic background is in
Biomedical and Electrical Engineering. I also have a degree in International
Space Studies from the International Space University in Strasbourg, France. My
professional experience ranges from working on improving medical care in
developing countries to work in the space industry. As much as possible, I try
and make as much of my life about exploration, and both traveling and
space/science fulfill this need (living in a dome on a volcano included).
Because you brought it up in there, can you explain the dome part of
your answer?
Although living in a dome may seem
as if it’s the opposite of exploration, given its stationary nature, it
fulfilled this need to delve into a different way of life. It was an adventure
in its own way. Rather than trekking around the world, what happens when you
step outside of it entirely? What happens when you’re able to turn down all the
noise and tear yourself away from the constant connectivity of the modern
world? These were the sort of questions I was able to answer or at least dive
into with the experience. On a more surface level, there was also a lot to
learn through the research and performing of work, such as exploring lava tube
caves.
Do you think the experience inside the habitat changed your perception
of how community and/or relationships in space/sci-fi media are portrayed?
I haven’t thought about its connection to
space media, as much as it’s given me some insight into how a real astronaut
may feel under certain conditions; such as what may actually be necessary or unnecessary
for creating a positive work and living environment, in an isolated space.
I did give thoughts to some sci-fi
pieces such as I Am Legend or the
movie Passengers in relation to being
isolated. I tried to imagine how different I would feel if I were on the same
mission alone.
I’m going to have to say Firefly is probably my favorite
space-themed show. Its incredible writing, character backgrounds and
interactions, and well-meaning but stern protagonist all make me wish the
series had continued. There’s something enticing about a group who lives
job-to-job, traveling around to different planets. It scratches a certain traveler’s
itch and envy, you know, except without the forced life of crime.
For movies, I’ve enjoyed the new Star Trek movies (the first in
particular), Star Wars, and movies
like Arrival. Star Trek provided this fantasy of an organization that anyone
could join and lead a life, and career, exploring and observing the universe—basically
a dream come true for any of us who would want to leave the planet someday.
Plus, there’s a market for skills like martial arts; so, for once, my childhood
hobbies would be respected on a resume!
Additionally, the idea of Star Trek’s prime directive is a really
important thought in science fiction, I think. Having a rule of not meddling is
something that we, as humans, rarely emphasize enough in practice. The crews in
Star Trek aren’t looking to create
settlements or colonize, but instead exploring to understand. I’ve enjoyed that
idea of exploration rooted in good moral intentions, as well as the thought of curiosity
being enough of a motivator for us to go out there.
I’ve enjoyed movies that try and
have a degree of realism involved. The
Martian or Gravity might be good
examples of this. Though they’re not perfect, they have some elements that relate
to actual space exploration as we know it, and that can be exciting for someone
who knows the field. That being said, I don’t think that realism is necessary
in science fiction. If anything, I want the media to take me somewhere new—show
me possibilities rather than reality. Arrival
did a nice job of this. Both the short story and the movie ask questions,
and propose possibilities, that leave you thinking a while after the credits
roll. It begged for conversation.
It wouldn’t be fair if I left out
movies about actual space missions. Apollo
13 is probably the best example of this. Truth is often more engaging than
fiction, and the story of what those men went through is engaging in every
aspect.
Since you brought up films about actual space missions, I’m curious as
to whether you feel those kind of films have an easier or harder time depicting
space (since they have to stick to realism)? And, do you think it’s important
for non-realistic science fiction to still realistically depict space? If so,
why?
I’m not sure that it’s a question of whether
one is easier or harder to depict space, but perhaps more about the intent. A
movie about Apollo 13 would likely go to great lengths to get the story
correct, consulting with experts and the like, and the dramatization might be
amplified for storytelling purposes. They consult experts on movies such as Star Trek, as well, a lot of times, but
they don’t necessarily strive to be accurate and I don’t think they really need
to be.
What are your feelings/thoughts on
science-fiction?
Oddly, space fiction isn’t something I
indulge in much. Science-fiction in general does have a lot of utility. First
and foremost, it needs to be good entertainment. Anything beyond that is a
bonus. Science fiction does a good job of sparking ideas and showing off what
kinds of things we may be able to create or want in the future.
The most valuable thing science fiction
provides, for me, is a barometer for our society’s current trends. Culture
drives everything, and space exploration is no exception. As interest in space
and science has increased throughout the last several years, so has the amount
of shows, movies, and projects about space. Ten years ago, only people in the
industry could tell you what SpaceX was. Now, Elon Musk is a well-known name,
complete with appearances in science-fiction blockbuster movies, such as Iron Man 2.
I’d like to see more depth, in
general. Science fiction, like any work of fiction, is stronger when it urges
us to question ourselves and the world around us.
I would love to see more movies
like Moon. In general, I’d love for
filmmakers or whoever greenlights those films to feel less inclined to put in
action scenes or pointless explosions into movies just for the sake of it. I
loved 90% of Passengers—having to
make the choice of waking someone up in the face of an eternity alone, at the
expense of guilt, is a fascinating concept all on its own. I could have done
without the engine heat body-blasting. These pieces don’t often offer up much,
and often detract from the story.
That being said, given that no
filmmakers will read this and think, ‘by gosh, he’s right!’, I’ll go ahead and
say, at the very least, I would not be opposed to Star Wars adding a heavy second dose of Donnie Yen or more
lightsaber battles. Nobody goes to those movies hoping to see Darth Vader
falling in love.
You’re interested in cultural issues and aspects of space, as well as
the science, is that something that you’d like to see addressed more in
science-fiction? What are your feelings on science fiction’s depictions of
exploring and living on other planets? Having had the habitat experience, do
you think there’s specific elements of living on another planet that you’d like
to see depicted?
I’m going to
answer your questions in what might be a different way than what you’re asking.
The old
saying that truth is stranger than fiction is very true. If someone were
looking for science fiction inspiration, I would look towards organizations
that look at concepts for things like multigenerational worldships – the
concept of having a self-sustaining society, contained within a ship, which
would travel over many generations before reaching their destination. These are
real studies that consider launching a group of people into space, with the
knowledge that the ones who arrive at the destination will not be the ones who
left Earth. Because of the complexity of the scenario, there are a lot of
interesting questions that arise from the thought exercise. What might religions
look like in that worldship, for example? Would they exist at all? Would they
be Earth-based religions or something new? Would religions that focus on Earth
matter to people who had never seen it? What happens when a terrible leader
comes to power in one of the generations? How likely is that to happen? What might
an economy look like on this ship?
These are just a few examples but the point is that a
creator can take one simple concept – a Mars base, a worldship, the theory of
panspermia, and run with the idea. Start with the truth and show me where your
mind runs to.
Where do you hope to see the representation
of space in science fiction and media go?
I’d like to see a growing demand
and supply for space-related science fiction, simply because it shows that
people are becoming interested in the topic. NASA is a publicly-funded organization,
which means it depends on voters who care about space exploration. Without a
desire and popularization of space exploration, I think it will be difficult
for us to go anywhere interesting. At the end of the day, people need to care
about the search for life and thirst for understanding of our universe.
For people wishing to learn more about space, what would be good
resources?
It depends on what
sort of space they’re trying to learn about. There is a lot on the NASA.gov
website about their research and progress. Speakers, such as Neil Degrasse
Tyson, do a great job of being effective space communicators. I urge people to
look outside of what NASA is doing. There are space programs, in many different
nations, that look to leverage space in new and interesting ways. For those
looking for an academic institution to grow their space industry knowledge, I
highly recommend The International Space University.
Are you involved in the creation of anything space media related? (This
question is essentially so you can plug your podcast, because I am helpful like
that)
Yes! We run a podcast called Space For Everyone that’s going
to explore interesting aspects of the space industry, ranging from religion to
space organizations in developing nations. Our goal is to showcase the
international and cultural aspects of space exploration. I also run The Traveling Spaceman blog which talks about my HI-SEAS
mission and other lessons learned through exploring the Earth.
Since often the focus, at least in the news
and popular media, on space is linked to technology and exploration, are there aspects of space or space
exploration that you wished people talked about more?
There are a couple of things.
This isn’t unique to space exploration, but news media tends
to focus on the accidents. When something goes wrong and people’s lives are
threatened, there is a ton of coverage. There isn’t a lot when things are
running smoothly. When the space shuttle program was cancelled, many people
back home asked me what I thought of ‘NASA being shut down’. The International
Space Station has been flying for over 15 years consistently and I think that
should be recognized. When things are running smoothly, we tend to take for
granted that the astronauts there are risking their lives every time they strap
themselves to a rocket.
I wished that people connected more with the idea of
exploration being something we should do simply because we are, because we
exist and we can. No one asks why we want to breathe or be loved. We all
understand that:those of us who are addicted to traveling or space feel the
same wayabout hopping on a plane or discovering a possible signal of life on
another planet.
