Competing Models of Space Settlement]

I want to thank Mike Combs (especially for his Space Settlement FAQ that sparked
the seminar), Ryan Healey, Ron Menich, Ian Woollard, and Duncan Lunan ( who are
from SSI, Space Settlers, or Project Starship) for their intelligent and
valuable discussions with Dennis May (who is from the Starship Forum). I hope
this inter-group cultural exchange can continue and foster fresh outlooks or a
re-thinking on different parts of the grand vision that the four groups share.

I'm forwarding a new topic from Dennis May, with some stimulating project
proposals.

Monart
~ * ~
Starship Aurora http://www.starshipaurora.com>

Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2001 20:15:30 -0600

As in many facets of life, how to approach
the settlement of space depends on a host
of assumptions and a constantly changing
world scene. The stakes are the highest
possible, the rewards the greatest imaginable,
the costs very high, and the price of failure
the ultimate end of mankind.

Philosophy, politics, economics, science,
technology, industry, leadership, inspiration,
imagination, and the everyday real world all
competing for a place on the biggest stage
there will ever be. How could it not get
nasty some times?

I have some fairly definite views on how it
should be done, along several possible tracks,
depending on how political events evolve.
Others have different views, some of which I
can support, some I am extremely opposed to.

The number of people who are interested in
the settlement of space is quite large and
growing all the time. There are a number of
groups devoted to one view or another of how
it should be done. Other groups are more
general in their support of settlement.
We should never forget that a large body
of opponents exists for nearly every step
of what has to be done to settle space.
There are also those who want no-one to
settle space however it might be done.
Some will not admit this is their real
goal.

It might be useful if a categorization or
flowchart of groups were made on some
website to give people an idea in how
many different direction things are going.
A variety of links to other sites can
originate from within this flowchart
structure.

I can immediately see that there are big
divides along economic models. There are
some differences as to scale and time
spans of plans, planetary versus free
floating settlements, nuclear or not,
fusion or other nuclear, and a variety
of other technical questions.

At some point a critical mass of finances
and interest from some quarter will allow
the settlement of space. It might happen
in fits and starts or it could evolve
at reasoned pace. Sudden breakthroughs
can never be discounted but should not
be relied upon. The know how has existed
for some time, the follow-through has not.

A large executive summary of the existing
competing models, as well as room to include
new ones as they are created, might be of
great service for those wanting to study
and contribute to the growing body of
knowledge. Collecting relevant postings to
various lists might help others better
understand what is going on within each
category and how the categories interact.

Any takers or knowledge of such a site?
Any books or publications which have
taken on this large task?

Dennis May