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Richard F.L.R.Snashall wrote:
> Rich wrote:
> > http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/11/30/space.hawking.reut/index.html
> Wonder what amount of the rocket mass would be expended
> getting it up to speed...
Yes. I have to agree that if the human race manages to survive, cooped
up on the one planet Earth, until such time as it can design a
spacecraft using antimatter as its fuel, so as to reach Alpha Centauri
in six years...
then the urgency of expanding into space to ensure human survival is
rather low.
I agree with Dr. Hawking's basic sentiments, however: the survival of
humanity _is_ in jeopardy as long as we remain on one planet, and that
is a reason for establishing communities in space. However, in terms of
meeting *this* need, we will have to make do with Mars colonies or
O'Neill habitats.
This is not to say that going to the stars isn't also a good thing to
do when the time comes. But to have the *ability* to launch a venture
on such a scale, we will first have had to have inhabited the Solar
System!
John Savard
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