Terraforming vs O'Neills

From: "Combs, Mike"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2001 11:54 AM
Subject: [spacesettlers] Terraforming vs O'Neills

[snikt]
> I'd say that well before the era when we're able to build thousands of
miles
> across or hundreds of miles across space mirrors, we'll be able to build
> tens of miles across space mirrors, and thus will be in the era of the
kinds
> of space habitats proposed by Gerard O'Neill. And when we're to that
point,
> I predict the space settlers will look on the idea of trying to live on
the
> surface of a planet as somewhat backwards and disadvantageous.
[snikt]

Yes, but the idea of living in another planetary surface with many
continuous hundreds of millions of square kilometers and billions of people
may still look attractive for many of the future Earthlings. Indeed, I also
believe that the first wave of space colonists will thrive in space
habitats; however, after many centuries, when there will be a well
established space-faring civilization with hundreds of billions living in
thousands of habitats, projects like the Venus parasol will probably be
trivial for their economy, and who knows, maybe some investor will think it
is worth to transform Mars and Venus in real state projects. The target
consumers? The old, left-behind planetary civilization on Earth. They would
then form a second wave of planetary-driven space colonists.

Just some wild speculation to stretch the mind... Don't take it too
seriously.

> Regards,
>

Regards,

> Mike Combs

Lucio Coelho