E-Book Overview
The Overview Effect is an important book in helping people see that your attitude does change when you see the Earth from the space perspective - an experience that seems to be an almost universal phenomenon. - Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 astronaut, founder of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, founding member of the Overview Institute
Space travel needs a new birth, and if we can tap into the desire to go into space, incredible things can come from it. - Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, which includes Virgin Galactic
More than 30 years ago, Frank White coined the term Overview Effect; to describe the cognitive shift in awareness that results from the experience of viewing Earth from orbit or the moon. He found that, with great consistency, this experience profoundly affects space travelers' worldviews - their perceptions of themselves and our planet, and our understanding of the future. White found that astronauts know from direct experience what the rest of us know only intellectually: we live on a planet that is like a natural spaceship moving through the universe at a high rate of speed. We are, in fact, the crew of Spaceship Earth; as Buckminster Fuller described our world. In The Overview Effect, Third Edition Frank White expands on his original concept, which has now gained worldwide recognition and exposure. Using interviews with and writings by numerous astronauts and cosmonauts, he describes space exploration and settlement as necessary next steps in the evolution of human civilization and consciousness. The third edition features new interviews with the following astronauts, space advocates, and New Space entrepreneurs:
Helen P. Sharman * Michael Lopez-Alegria * Sandra H. Magnus * John B. Herrington * Ron Garan * Akihiko Hoshide * Nicole Stott * Sir Richard Branson * George Whitesides * Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides
E-Book Content
Downloaded by American Instituteand of Aeronautics Astronautics on September 20, 2017 | http://arc.aiaa.org | DOI: 10.2514/4.103223 reserved. All rights Astronautics.and of Aeronautics American Institute Copyright © 2014.
Chapter 1
THE OVERVIEW PROJECT
It is endlessly fulfilling. You never see quite the same thing as you are orbiting. There is a different ground track every time. The time of day is different; the clouds are different. The cloud patterns show different colors. The oceans are different; the dust over the deserts is different. It doesn’t get repetitive. —Space Shuttle astronaut Joseph P. Allen The Earth will show different sides of her face, and different expressions in a fast pace. You see oceans, you see deserts, the forests, and cities. And you see different times of the day. You will never be bored. —Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide
There are ways to get a taste of the Overview Effect without going into outer space. Anyone who flies in an airplane and looks out the window has the opportunity to experience a mild version of it. My own effort to confirm the reality of the Overview Effect had its origins in a cross-country flight in the late 1970s. As the plane flew north of Washington, D.C., I found myself looking down at the Capitol and Washington Monument. From 30,000 feet, they looked like little toys sparkling in the sunshine. From that altitude, all of Washington looked small and insignificant. However, I knew that people down there were making life-and-death decisions on my behalf and taking themselves very seriously as they did so. From high in the jet stream, it seemed absurd that they could have an impact on my life. It was like ants making laws for humans. On the other hand, I knew that it was all a matter of perspective. When the plane landed, everyone on it would act just like the people over whom we flew. This line of thought led to a simple but im