In reply to Lawrence de Bivort's message of Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:16:05 -0400: Hi, [snip] >Robin, you are talking about planet-based society, right? I was thinking >about space, and how to go there. Free floating space colonies should be >able to grow their own food. All they have to do is park close enough to a >star for photosynthesis and energy, and mine low-gravity asteroids for >materials and those things that can't be fully recycled. > >What do you think? > >Lawrence [snip] I think that there is little point in being in space just for it's own sake. The only real reason to go into space is to go to other planets. If one doesn't have the technology to do that, then there isn't much point.
That means first the Moon, then Mars and the rest of the Solar system, then perhaps much later, the stars (however that will require FTL travel, which in turn will probably be preceded by FTL communications, and that in turn may make interstellar travel unnecessary). Regards, Robin van Spaandonk The shrub is a plant.
