L-5 and Mars

To respond to Zachary Sorenson and Mike Combs' comments: I share your
frustrations as I have thought about this for years (I have taught a college
course, The Colonization of Space, for 25 years). I find those who will
read O'Neill's Physics Today article of 1974 are usually convinced of his
ideas. But those who are not open to reading are hard to reach, and if they
are not enrolled in a course such as mine, there may be no way. I have seen
Goldin speak a few times on TV and I don't have much hope for him. I think
we need to simply argue for lunar and asteroid mining, building space
manufacturing facilities, SPS and "orbiting gas stations", which would help
those who want to go to Mars, as well as those who just want to live in
cis-lunar space. We will get O'Neill colonies, and can sell extra food,
fuel, etc. to those who may want to try for Mars. We need to do this in a
win-win situation, and keep those keen on Mars from stopping our
"infrastructure" developments. SPS can help Earth with Global Climate
Change, going to Mars can not.
Cheers, Jay S. Huebner at jhuebn@...