How do we get from heto there?

> From: isildurbane [mailto:isildurbane@...]
> How do we get from our current level of space travel to a level of
> space travel required by the first Island One?

My pet solution (and the one that raises least technical objection) is an
SPS construction, with a $40B up-front project to reduce launch costs to
lower than $500/kg. That way a SPS could generate more money than it cost to
make. $160B investment could generate $200B returns. At that rate, an
asteroid tug would cost $5-7B, and a lunar mining out-post could be expected
to cost similar. Then start building O'Neil colonies. ;)

ANTIcarrot.