Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

When and if we find a new planet to live on. Who will colonize it first?

If we still have independent nation-states by the time interstellar colonization becomes viable, it's probably going to be an international effort.

Considering the freedom to shit over everyone they've been receiving lately, most likely an Iran/North-Korea joint venture. Thanks Obama!

Originally posted by Time-Immemorial
When and if we find a new planet to live on. Who will colonize it first?
http://pre00.deviantart.net/0ffe/th/pre/f/2007/321/2/3/weyland_yutani_corporation_by_discretos.jpg

Companies with ties to nations, much as it was with the initial settlement of America.

Why hasn't a colony already been built on Mars? Thanks Obama.

Does anyone seriously ever think we'll colonise another planet? The rate we're going at we'll have world leaders who think the earth is flat and who don't believe in space.

The last 2 decades we've gone backwards. No more supersonic transatlantic passenger jets. No more space shuttle and back to using old style rockets

We're gonna die on this planet.

You never know, SpaceX and Blue Origin have been making leaps in recent years. The necessary technology and incentive may come from the private sector.

Originally posted by jaden101
Does anyone seriously ever think we'll colonise another planet? The rate we're going at we'll have world leaders who think the earth is flat and who don't believe in space.

The last 2 decades we've gone backwards. No more supersonic transatlantic passenger jets. No more space shuttle and back to using old style rockets

We're gonna die on this planet.

If by "we" you mean my generation no. But the human race itself? Yeah, I think we will. We'll have to eventually. Our sun won't last forever, it's a long long time away, but eventually we'll either need to figure out some technology that keeps a sun "healthy" or go to other worlds.

Originally posted by Surtur
If by "we" you mean my generation no. But the human race itself? Yeah, I think we will. We'll have to eventually. Our sun won't last forever, it's a long long time away, but eventually we'll either need to figure out some technology that keeps a sun "healthy" or go to other worlds.

Or, most likely, be long dead.

That is true we could wipe ourselves out or any number of things could happen. We've actually had some close calls with asteroids. Not like one just missed us..but close in space terms.

Originally posted by jaden101
Does anyone seriously ever think we'll colonise another planet? The rate we're going at we'll have world leaders who think the earth is flat and who don't believe in space.

The last 2 decades we've gone backwards. No more supersonic transatlantic passenger jets. No more space shuttle and back to using old style rockets

We're gonna die on this planet.
We haven't "gone backwards," we've simply not invested in certain technologies because the money has gone to other technologies.

Concords were phased out because they weren't economical, and while I think it was a mistake to retire the space shuttles without a proper replacement ready, we're now on the cusp of privatized space travel.

As to your question: I think terraforming a planet is far-fetched, and I don't see such technology being feasible even a hundred years from now, but I could definitely envision domed or underground cities on Mars

Originally posted by Omega Vision
We haven't "gone backwards," we've simply not invested in certain technologies because the money has gone to other technologies.

Concords were phased out because they weren't economical, and while I think it was a mistake to retire the space shuttles without a proper replacement ready, we're now on the cusp of privatized space travel.

As to your question: I think terraforming a planet is far-fetched, and I don't see such technology being feasible even a hundred years from now, but I could definitely envision domed or underground cities on Mars

The next hundred will see more and more funds diverted away from space exploration into fighting fire on a whole range of problems we're creating for ourselves as a species. Environment, social division, crumbling infrastructure etc. All the while we'll be run by politicians and corporate leaders with extreme short term vision. Power for power's sake and profit for profit's sake.

NASA's funding is at its lowest dollar value since 1988 and it's % of GDP has been steadily dropping since 1990 and is at 0.6% compared to over 4.5% in the late 60's.


DARPA just announced 2nd phase funding for a private company to develop a vertical take off and landing jet that looks utterly ridiculous meanwhile the harrier has been all but scrapped and the JSF is considered an overpriced joke that's already obsolete and not fit for purpose. Unless its sole purpose was funneling hundreds of billions of tax payers money into private hands in which case it's been highly successful.

Private space exploration is a pipe dream at the moment. Without collosal government subsidies the best any private company is doing at any point soon is putting satellites into orbit and maybe the occasional manned flight to the ISS. (the achievement of which should be a lesson on what true cooperation between nations can achieve)

I suppose part of the "problem" is that we haven't had one of the primary driving forces of real technological development...namely world wide conflict between powerful nations.

Having said all that I am looking forward to what the James Webb telescope will deliver as well as more from the LHC and if the wendelstein 7-x proves feasible

. Although I still want to see heavy investment in LFTR technologies because the problems it can solve are incalculable. Just watch the intro to this.
P9M__yYbsZ4

Jaden, What is our current earths breaking point in terms of population?

We aren't going to find another planet to live on. This is it. What happens if the only other planet capable of sustaining our very complex existences was 10-150 light years away? How are we going to get there? We as a people can't get past the little things like racism, senseless wars, polluting our own drinking water for profit no less. Shit, we'd be lucky if we last another 50 years and that's pushing it. We have little idiot men in power like Kim Jung Un. I mean has anyone thought about taking this guys power away from him? I'm not talking about sanctions, I'm talking about if you can't be responsible enough to respect your fellow man, you shouldn't be in power at all type shit. Over 65% of American's appear to be too stupid to see a bold faced lie, and the rest are too ashamed to admit it. How many other countries face the same dilemma? Nearly a week ago, I saw this moron on the news say that he's going to have all of his employees take firearms training, and then furnish them with guns to protect the work place. What could possibly go wrong in that scenario? This guy owns a company for crying out loud. He's supposed to be one of the smart ones... Right? We aren't going to another planet.

Originally posted by Stoic
We aren't going to find another planet to live on. This is it. What happens if the only other planet capable of sustaining our very complex existences was 10-150 light years away? How are we going to get there? We as a people can't get past the little things like racism, senseless wars, polluting our own drinking water for profit no less. Shit, we'd be lucky if we last another 50 years and that's pushing it. We have little idiot men in power like Kim Jung Un. I mean has anyone thought about taking this guys power away from him? I'm not talking about sanctions, I'm talking about if you can't be responsible enough to respect your fellow man, you shouldn't be in power at all type shit. Over 65% of American's appear to be too stupid to see a bold faced lie, and the rest are too ashamed to admit it. How many other countries face the same dilemma? Nearly a week ago, I saw this moron on the news say that he's going to have all of his employees take firearms training, and then furnish them with guns to protect the work place. What could possibly go wrong in that scenario? This guy owns a company for crying out loud. He's supposed to be one of the smart ones... Right? We aren't going to another planet.

racism? really?
guns? really? yeah he owns a company. maybe he's smarter than you. it seems you are so sure of yourself and think others are so stupid. isn't that what the stupid think also?

Originally posted by Raisen
racism? really?
guns? really? yeah he owns a company. maybe he's smarter than you. it seems you are so sure of yourself and think others are so stupid. isn't that what the stupid think also?

Does it seem like a good idea to arm all of your employees? Could anything go horribly wrong with taking the law into your own hands? Is it hard to see that we are all cousins no matter the color of skin, or religion? Actually you know what? I really don't care what your answer is. The point was that we aren't going to make it at this pace. Do you get it now, or do I have to explain it in a way that you can comprehend?

Originally posted by Time-Immemorial
When and if we find a new planet to live on. Who will colonize it first? H+.

Originally posted by Time-Immemorial
Jaden, What is our current earths breaking point in terms of population?

In terms of using up finite resources of many vital commodities then we've already passed it...way past it in some estimates which put it at 2 billion

Other estimates put it at 10 billion from a food production standpoint but given that we can't adequetely feed about 3 billion people now then that's a very optimistic assessment. Mind you it's not so much that we can't feed that 3 billion so much as we choose not to.

It also doesn't help that technologies that can help reverse many of the problems we're creating for ourselves are actively lobbied against by very powerful corporations who benefit from the status quo. Namely oil companies.