Making HSF a priority has a giggle factor that it hasn't lost after 50 years. That's why when you go to whitehouse.gov and click on "issues," "space" is not on the list.
[/sarcasm] .... Mike's language there is good in principle, but unfortunately, his principle will not stop the factions from fighting one another.
I'm afraid that I don't have a better suggestion, however.[sarcasm]
... right now, it seems the factions are pushing the politicians around ....
Here's a three-stage plan that I think makes sense:1. Exploration - Explore bodies within the Solar System...
Here's a three-stage plan that I think makes sense:1. Exploration - Explore bodies within the Solar System which can support life relatively easy. Example: Mars, where we could potentially terraform the entire planet, starting small and building large (think: bases to domed cities to full terraforming of the destination). Learn everything we can about these places so that we can choose which one or ones to start with. This could be done mostly by NASA.Potential places we know of that might lend themselves to this activity: Mars, Enceladus, Ganymede.
The key thing that is missing is the intention to work towards a permanent human presence off planet, despite the politicians holier than thou supplications to the contrary. As long as responsible adults do not keep the fractious children from fighting each other over the mission of the month, there can't be a cooperative consensus formed, which would support a path forward for HSF.
... Otherwise, let individuals lead the way.
Quote from: BobCarver on 05/12/2013 10:32 pm... Otherwise, let individuals lead the way.As has been pointed out, we are *cough* free *cough* to lead the way.
You need trace evidence of something that connects the Earth to these other objects. I'd have to believe that meteors are about the most likely chance of finding something that will initiate an exploration boom (again, it is not going to be a common geology find that starts it off). Maybe the moon will have a lunar transient event someday to restart exploration. Going to the moon, Mars or to the asteroids to flip rocks over isn't going to cut it.
There is plenty of real estate on Earth. Its just that too many are located near the coastline where it is desirable. Global warming concerns are not enough to transform peoples thinking to move inland. Going to colonize space isnt going to change thinking about this either.
Living Planet Report reveals widening gap between nature’s supply and human demandHumanity is now using nature’s services 50 percent faster than what Earth can renew, reveals the 2010 edition of the Living Planet Report – the leading survey of the planet’s health. “The dwindling health of the world’s species is no surprise considering how much of nature’s services humanity is taking for its own use,” said Mathis Wackernagel, President of Global Footprint Network. “Ultimately, enabling biodiversity to thrive will require bringing human demand for nature’s services to a level Earth can sustainably supply.” The new figures released today for humanity’s Ecological Footprint and biocapacity illustrate the scope of the challenges humanity faces not only for preserving biodiversity, but also for halting climate change and meeting human development aspirations, such as reducing worldwide hunger and poverty.Global Footprint Network calculations show that in the past five decades, the human Footprint on Earth has more than doubled. In 2007, the most recent year for which data are available, humanity used the equivalent of 1.5 planets to support its activities. Put another way, it now takes a year and six months for the Earth to absorb the CO2 emissions and regenerate the renewable resources that people use in one year.Carbon is a major driver behind the planet to ecological overdraft. An alarming 11-fold increase in our overall carbon Footprint over the last five decades means carbon now accounts for more than half the global Ecological Footprint. Land used for food production is another major factor in humanity’s escalating Footprint. It should be noted that cheap access to fossil fuel has enabled us to get more from each hectare than we might otherwise have been able to. Moving out of fossil fuel due to climate concerns or depleted sources will reduce the carbon portion of the Footprint, but may also significantly increase pressure on other ecosystems.
Ok. Lets roll troll with it.
Why not try to just terraform Earth for the existing population!?