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Space Colonization Economics - Wrap Up
Aug. 25th, 2010 10:05 amI wasn't planning for Part 5 of this series, but here goes, with some odd thoughts that didn't fit anywhere else.
orbital stations = cruise ships
The economics of an orbital hotel would be very similar to a cruise ship. The space constraints are similar (no orbital golf!) and the construction and operating costs are similar. Lunar hotels could be more like a resort once using on-site materials becomes viable.
The myth of "only one"
A lot of fiction looking at the near future postulates only one base, hotel or whatever. This is a legacy of the Cold War, when only the two superpowers were playing in space. But now the Chinese have a manned program, and Japan, India and the Europeans have independent programs of various levels. So, even if "space" remains the province of nations, the factors that lead to national space programs will lead to multiple, national space presences. Once private enterprise gets in the game, for every Elon Musk or Tony Bezos, there are several Russian, Asian and Middle Eastern plutocrats that we Americans have never heard of and who might want to play.
The need to "get rich quick"
One of the commentors on this series said they'd go to space "if I could get rich," or words to that effect. I think focusing on the individual getting rich is the wrong focus. Many of the people who went to the frontier, from the settlers of Massachusetts to the Vikings in Iceland to the cavemen who went over the hill because they got kicked out of the tribe were not motivated by personal wealth. Rather, they were motivated by the need and/or desire to be somewhere else.
Now, the entity that funds the colony needs to make a return on investment. But they may decide it's cheaper to put low-paid colonists on their station then high-paid but temporary workers. And there are all sorts of people who would move off of Earth on a permanent basis. Some of them are political / religious / social extremists, and some of them just want to get away from current society (however defined). I don't think the people working on Antarctic research stations are making grand slam bucks. I also suspect that many of them, if offered the opportunity to stay permanently, would do so.
I've tagged all parts of this series "colonies" to make it easier for you (and me) to find.
orbital stations = cruise ships
The economics of an orbital hotel would be very similar to a cruise ship. The space constraints are similar (no orbital golf!) and the construction and operating costs are similar. Lunar hotels could be more like a resort once using on-site materials becomes viable.
The myth of "only one"
A lot of fiction looking at the near future postulates only one base, hotel or whatever. This is a legacy of the Cold War, when only the two superpowers were playing in space. But now the Chinese have a manned program, and Japan, India and the Europeans have independent programs of various levels. So, even if "space" remains the province of nations, the factors that lead to national space programs will lead to multiple, national space presences. Once private enterprise gets in the game, for every Elon Musk or Tony Bezos, there are several Russian, Asian and Middle Eastern plutocrats that we Americans have never heard of and who might want to play.
The need to "get rich quick"
One of the commentors on this series said they'd go to space "if I could get rich," or words to that effect. I think focusing on the individual getting rich is the wrong focus. Many of the people who went to the frontier, from the settlers of Massachusetts to the Vikings in Iceland to the cavemen who went over the hill because they got kicked out of the tribe were not motivated by personal wealth. Rather, they were motivated by the need and/or desire to be somewhere else.
Now, the entity that funds the colony needs to make a return on investment. But they may decide it's cheaper to put low-paid colonists on their station then high-paid but temporary workers. And there are all sorts of people who would move off of Earth on a permanent basis. Some of them are political / religious / social extremists, and some of them just want to get away from current society (however defined). I don't think the people working on Antarctic research stations are making grand slam bucks. I also suspect that many of them, if offered the opportunity to stay permanently, would do so.
I've tagged all parts of this series "colonies" to make it easier for you (and me) to find.
