09-16-2015, 10:27 AM
Those are all really good points.
I hadn't considered how having so much material in a relatively concentrated area makes a difference, but you're absolutely right, for an expanding civilization that's going to be really valuable. Initially, as you say, habitats in the asteroid belt will always be built next to a good rock. But maybe one rock doesn't have everything you need — which means trading with others, and that too is easier in something like the Jovian or Saturn system.
I'm not convinced that sunlight really matters all that much; once we start building nuclear reactors in space, solar panels are going to seem like the harder solution, I suspect (especially in the outer solar system). I'm talking about ordinary fission reactors; but if fusion ever pans out, then that will be even more true. But it is nice to know that solar energy is always there as an alternative.
And yeah, it's a long trip to the outer planets. Eventually we'll have fast ships that can make the trip in a reasonable amount of time, but it's never going to be a weekend jaunt — more like a few months out of your life. This will put a damper on things like tourism, at least while most of the population still lives on Earth. Eventually, though, I can see some tourism happening between the Belt and the various outer planets. Just think of the views around Jupiter or Saturn! I'd certainly take a year off to go see that.
I hadn't considered how having so much material in a relatively concentrated area makes a difference, but you're absolutely right, for an expanding civilization that's going to be really valuable. Initially, as you say, habitats in the asteroid belt will always be built next to a good rock. But maybe one rock doesn't have everything you need — which means trading with others, and that too is easier in something like the Jovian or Saturn system.
I'm not convinced that sunlight really matters all that much; once we start building nuclear reactors in space, solar panels are going to seem like the harder solution, I suspect (especially in the outer solar system). I'm talking about ordinary fission reactors; but if fusion ever pans out, then that will be even more true. But it is nice to know that solar energy is always there as an alternative.
And yeah, it's a long trip to the outer planets. Eventually we'll have fast ships that can make the trip in a reasonable amount of time, but it's never going to be a weekend jaunt — more like a few months out of your life. This will put a damper on things like tourism, at least while most of the population still lives on Earth. Eventually, though, I can see some tourism happening between the Belt and the various outer planets. Just think of the views around Jupiter or Saturn! I'd certainly take a year off to go see that.
Joe Strout
Lead Developer, High Frontier