Low cost propulsion systems for the developing world

Space has often been referred to as the final frontier. It is the curiosity of what lies beyond our planet that drives us to turn to the skies. This quest for knowledge and the chance of travelling to the heavens has compelled people to devote their lives to space science, innovation and analysis of our ever-expanding universe. Today the most significant impact of rocketry comes in the form of manned spaceflight. Vehicles like the Space Shuttle and Soyuz began the trend of greater commercialization of manned rocketry, enabling widespread access to space. Whilst the curiosity of what lies beyond may have propelled the development of the space tourism industry, its current operational cost is estimated as $20-$28 million per passenger per flight. Although the vision of providing low cost space travel still exists, its application is hindered by the costs associated with current space vehicles and mission operations. Furthermore, if we are to better understand our universe and are keen on commercializing space, we would require the space tourism industry to operate in a similar fashion to the aviation industry. As most current launch vehicles rely on chemical propulsion, the level of uncertainty in the market drives their fuel costs. In order to reduce the cost per flight, we must effectively increase the load factor per flight and operate multiple flights, enabling a greater number of paying passengers. In order to provide widespread access to space there needs to be a greater emphasis on the research and development of low cost Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLV) which predominantly rely on alternative fuel technologies, thereby reducing the overall cost per flight. Although progress would be slow, we would still be able to witness a boom in space tourism. This paper proposes the use of magnetic levitation and propulsion (Maglev) within a vacuum chamber as a viable low-cost propulsion technology. It aims to prove that such a system is capable of providing adequate thrust to future space vehicles. As Maglev systems allow for horizontal take-off and landing, such a launch system could be used in conjunction with current airports worldwide. Although the inception and creation of such a system may seem expensive, the long-term fiscal costs are relatively lower than current day systems. This is primarily because such a system relies on electrical power, whose supply and generation costs are much lower than that of chemical propellants. Also, the maintenance costs associated with the Maglev track are minimal, as during take-off there is no physical contact between the track and the launch vehicle. Similar to the aviation industry, the success of future space exploration programs and space tourism relies on international cooperation and alliances. This not only ensures that no one country dominates access to space, but also nurtures healthy competition by providing a level playing field. By implementing the afore mentioned system in politically stable developing nations, we ensure employment, innovation and motivation, all achieved through an international alliance. This system would not only ensure a faster urban development within these countries, but would also bring the vision of space science and exploration to a larger global audience. This paper discusses the overall cost analysis for a vacuum operated Maglev system, the various options available for the generation of power required by such a system and how the system’s long term costs can be aligned with the aviation industry

Migration costs and observational returns to migration in the developing world

Recent studies find that observational returns to rural-urban migration are near zero in three developing countries. We revisit this result using panel tracking surveys from six countries, finding higher returns on average. We then interpret these returns in a multi-region Roy model with heterogeneity in migration costs. In the model, the observational return to migration confounds the urban premium and the individual benefits of migrants, and is not directly informative about the welfare gain from lowering migration costs. Patterns of regional heterogeneity in returns, and a comparison of experimental to observational returns, are consistent with the model’s predictions

Digital libraries for the developing world

Digital libraries (DLs) are the killer app for information technology in developing countries. Priorities here include health, agriculture, nutrition, hygiene, sanitation, and safe drinking water. Computers are not a priority, but simple, reliable access to targeted information meeting these basic needs certainly is. DLs can assist human development by providing a non-commercial mechanism for distributing humanitarian information on topics such as health, agriculture, nutrition, hygiene, sanitation, and water supply. Many other areas, ranging from disaster relief to medical education, from the preservation and propagation of indigenous culture to educational material that addresses specific community problems, also benefit from new methods of information distribution

Developing Whole Leaders for the Whole World

How do we holistically develop leaders with the capacity and character to tackle the most pressing moral challenges in our modern world? While it may be easier to focus on one thing such as strengths, experiences, or mentors, the reality is that developing a leader’s capacity to lead well includes many interrelated components. Based on our experience and research, the six components of the Holistic Leadership Development Model (HLDM) are presented, along with strategies for creating rich conversations that connect the components in a meaningful way for leaders. The six areas are (1) experiences and learning; (2) strategic networking; (3) developing others; (4) integrated fulfillment; (5) leading under pressure; and (6) calling and purpose. While we are not suggesting that these are the only areas to consider when developing leaders, focusing on these six creates conversations and development plans for leaders that they perceive as capturing the reality of the challenges they face in developing their leadership capacity. Guides for evaluating one’s own leadership development and for having rich development conversations are included

Energy issues in the developing world

In 1986 and 1987 the lower oil prices called into question many of the fundamental assumptions that were the stock in trade of energy experts during the previous ten years. This document is a collection of papers representing responses to concerns prepared by current and former World Bank staff. Although these papers raise a variety of different concerns, a common theme that runs throughout the paper is the need to continue the pursuit of efficiency goals in the energy sector. The developing world still needs large amounts of capital to meet its ever-expanding energy requirements. These capital requirements will be a significant part of most countries'total investment plan. Given the problems of debt and public revenues, the report concludes that the pursuit of efficiency is just as important under lower fuel prices as it is under rising fuel prices.Power&Energy Conversion,Urban Environment,Environmental Economics&Policies,Energy Demand,Energy and Environment

Transaction Structures in the Developing World

While variations in public securities markets across nations have attracted increasing scrutiny, private financings have received little attention. But in developing nations, the bulk of financings are private ones. This paper analyzes 210 private equity transactions in developing countries. We find that unlike in the U.S., where convertible preferred securities are ubiquitous, in developing nations a much broader array of securities are employed and private equity investors often have fewer contractual protections. The choice of security appears to be driven by the legal and economic circumstances of the nation and the private equity group. Investments in common law nations are structured similar to those in the U.S., being less likely to employ common stock or straight debt, and more likely to use preferred stock with a variety of covenants. By way of contrast, in nations where the rule of law is less established, private equity groups are likely to use common stock and own the majority of the firm's equity if the investment encounters difficulties. Private equity groups based in the U.S. and U.K. rely more on preferred securities but also adapt transactions to local conditions. These contractual differences appear to have real consequences: larger transactions with higher valuations are seen in common law countries. These findings suggest that the structure of a country's legal system affects private contracts and cannot easily be undone by (bi-lateral) private solutions.