Solar orbit probes don't count - that's Earth orbit plus a small impulse and a battery. All the hard problems are in mining, manufacturing, and life support - t

Solar orbit probes don't count - that's Earth orbit plus a small impulse and a battery. All the hard problems are in mining, manufacturing, and life support - the things the grandparent post was talking about. Although in this instance, that probe is destined for L1, which is still in Earth orbit. (The Lagrange points are where you are simultaneously in orbit around two bodies - Earth and the sun, here)