SPACE.com -- The Top 3 Reasons to Colonize Space

NASA had this vision for a space colony back in the 1970s. But no firm plans were ever made.

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Safety on Mars: Spacesuits of the Future

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	The Top 3 Reasons to Colonize Space By Robert Roy Britt Senior Science Writer posted: 07:00 am ET 08 October 2001

Make Money and Save the Environment

It's tempting to suggest that the best reason to send humans into space is to explore other worlds, maybe even to find life. But the sad truth is that, though space science drives much of NASA's spending, this motivation has been insufficient to lift a single human beyond Earth orbit since 1972, when Gene Cernan left the last footprint on the Moon.

In space these days, robotic explorers rule.

But ultimately, many scientists say, finding signs of life on Mars might require human missions. The gargantuan cost of sending people to Mars, however, has prevented any firm plans from taking shape. Meanwhile, many space enthusiasts have given up hope that NASA will get us there. They think the economics of human space flight will be driven by capitalism rather than science.

Sid Goldstein thinks any effort to get a Kmart on Mars should also help cure social, environmental and economic woes back home. Yet he worries that if some decisions aren't made quickly to put humans permanently in space, we may never go.

"I believe that humans living independently in space will be achievable in 10 to 15 years, but only if we are serious," Goldstein says. And he's got some ideas about how to get serious.

In his book, "You Can Make It So: How To Cure Our Environmental, Economic, And Crime Problems," Goldstein analyzes the long-term health of the economy and the environment. He argues that investments in space colonization will never be made without a massive commitment and tremendous cooperation between government, industry and the people.

If we rely on the government to put us into space, Goldstein says, expect delays, cost overruns, and ultimate failure.

Instead, he recommends economic incentives to encourage the private sector to rapidly develop the technologies needed for long-distance space travel and colony survival. The investments would be designed to benefit the economy and the environment back home, as well.

Among his proposals are $300 billion in federal funding over 10 years to construct the transportation and manufacturing infrastructure to develop energy and raw materials in space. The money could fund research to advance solar power technology, the study of asteroids and how to mine them for minerals and construction materials, and even scientific bases on the Moon.

But convincing politicians to undertake such an effort won't be easy, Goldstein admits. And the public needs to be sold, too.

"Space advocates have to do a better job of explaining to the general public what is possible, how much it will cost, how long it will take, what we will get out of it, and the consequences if we fail."

No one ever said leaving Earth was going to be easy.

ODYSSEY OCTOBER: Throughout October, SPACE.com explores Mars, the Mars Odyssey mission, and the possibility of human space travel. Click here for our Odyssey Special Report.

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