Forgetting the Asbestos: Or, how we lose knowledge and technologies.

Re:Forgetting the Asbestos: Or, how we lose knowledge and te... by areoform on Monday October 24, 2022 @05:28PM (#33322885)

Author here, while I agree with some of your points, phasing out technologies is less of a problem as much as forgetting them. For example, we have far better insulators than asbestos now that can serve as thermal protection systems if we ever build a rocket of this scale again. One example of these new technologies are aerogels. In 2012, NASA showed off the HIAD, Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator, it's a flexible heat shield that's made out of aerogel, https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/game_changing_de...

Plus toxic materials are very much still in use in the space industry, including asbestos. They're used as separators in fuel cells, insulation for missiles, etc

Asbestos was banned for buildings not for the space industry. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/decades-after-proof-of-its...

It will be replaced slowly as better materials become available.

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Re:Forgetting the Asbestos: Or, how we lose knowledge and te... by cogman10 on Monday October 24, 2022 @05:36PM (#33322975)

> One example of these new technologies are aerogels.

And, to be fair, if you could use aerogels, you should use aerogels. They are way better at insulation than asbestos. They are simply cost prohibitive in most cases.

Despite what it may look like, I'm not trying to shill for asbestos :D. I just think it's a microcosm of a problem with society.

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Re:Forgetting the Asbestos: Or, how we lose knowledge and te... by schlauerfox on Monday October 24, 2022 @08:40PM (#33324674)

I think more to your point, specific government secrets get forgotton because they are closely kept under punishment, open access science, by letter or by journal has been going well for 600+ recorded years. Trades even longer by apprenticeship. Clockmakers and any other as well.

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