No space

LEO is a wonderful laboratory for experiments for conditions as won’t apply on Earth. ZBLAN for optic cables is one example. Except… every now and again we find discoveries on Earth which means we don’t need that work in space anymore. I have in mind the muons at the Arctic which means, no more need for that Polar Lightning satellite.

If the work only needs a few minutes to get done, for another instance, we can just do this in our “vomit comet” aircraft in freefall.

I’m considering here Earth-bound microgravity. UCLA have mocked up sound waves in superheated sulfur. These waves act like gravity, they say.

Any experiment we don’t ship to LEO leaves space for other experiments so, there is that.