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Whoa there. First off, don't use the Shuttle or ISS as the yard stick for "manned spaceflight", they are some of the most expensive programs for the least resul

Whoa there. First off, don't use the Shuttle or ISS as the yard stick for "manned spaceflight", they are some of the most expensive programs for the least results in history and are not representative of what can be done with manned spaceflight. Additionally, spaceflight is not just about scientific research. Manned spaceflight is not just about exploration, it's also about colonization. At the end of the day space is just a place, a place where we live, though we have been restricted to a tiny corner of it for most of human history. We can do manned spaceflight cost effectively (orders of magnitude better than the Shuttle, ISS, or Apollo), and as our technology improves our capabilities will only increase while costs fall.

idlewords 11y ago
What is the purpose of colonization? Compared to colonizing Antarctica, for example, or the bottom of the sea? If we can do human spaceflight orders of magnitude cheaper than all attempts to date, that's great news. But I'll believe it when I see it.
- InclinedPlane 11y ago
  Adventure. Challenge. Spreading the light of human consciousness and civilization off of Earth into the Universe.
- elektromekatron 11y ago
  People are probably not going to stop shagging.
- TeMPOraL 11y ago
  > Compared to colonizing Antarctica, for example, or the bottom of the sea? Why not both? The bottom of the sea is as unexplored as space, creating self-sufficient habitats in both places poses similar technological challenges. I for one would love to see more deep submersion research. As for "what is the purpose", are you asking for "a purpose" or "a commercial purpose"? Because most of the time I see this question the person asking usually means the latter, and that is IMO a very, very limited view of the world. Not everything worthwhile makes commercial sense, and not everything that makes commercial sense is worthwhile.

idlewords 11y ago

What is the purpose of colonization? Compared to colonizing Antarctica, for example, or the bottom of the sea? If we can do human spaceflight orders of magnitude cheaper than all attempts to date, that's great news. But I'll believe it when I see it.

InclinedPlane 11y ago
Adventure. Challenge. Spreading the light of human consciousness and civilization off of Earth into the Universe.
elektromekatron 11y ago
People are probably not going to stop shagging.
TeMPOraL 11y ago
> Compared to colonizing Antarctica, for example, or the bottom of the sea? Why not both? The bottom of the sea is as unexplored as space, creating self-sufficient habitats in both places poses similar technological challenges. I for one would love to see more deep submersion research. As for "what is the purpose", are you asking for "a purpose" or "a commercial purpose"? Because most of the time I see this question the person asking usually means the latter, and that is IMO a very, very limited view of the world. Not everything worthwhile makes commercial sense, and not everything that makes commercial sense is worthwhile.