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Turns out space stations are not the most easily expanded spaces to accommodate growing populations.
by zanny 9y ago
Turns out space stations are not the most easily expanded spaces to accommodate growing populations.
- bluGill 9y agoThat is true, but not really useful. There are only a few planets that we can inhabit. Not enough energy (sunlight) reaches Saturn to make it a useful planet even if you can stand the gravity. In short if we want to expand beyond at best 3 planets we need a new solar system. That means we need humans able to make the several thousand year journey in a generation ship to a different star. I suppose we could also take an earth sized chunk out of Saturn and put it into earth orbit. A generation ship to a different star seems more feasible to me.
- visarga 9y agoThere is a lot of stuff floating around the solar system (asteroids, small moons) that can be mined. We need to automate that process and that of habitat construction, then the Asteroid Belt could hold 7,500 trillion people, if thoroughly reshaped.
- WalterBright 9y agoAsteroids can also serve as giant "yachts" to move around the solar system. Find one in the right orbit, land on it, and hitch a ride. You've got all the radiation shielding needed, plus plenty of raw materials to build out the "spaceship".