The article makes some good points, and I’d be inclined to agree with its conclusion, but I think what it’s missing is the speed that orbital manufacturing will

The article makes some good points, and I’d be inclined to agree with its conclusion, but I think what it’s missing is the speed that orbital manufacturing will happen. There will be exotic materials that can only be produced in orbit. This will encourage a lot more extra-planet activity, and bring more and more capabilities off planet. As these capabilities increase there will likely be increasing economic pressure to utilize extra-planet resources further increasing our off planet capabilities. I see a positive feedback loop that is sort of inevitable in the next several hundred years.