Space has a 0 to 1 problem of incomparable magnitude. It is a lot easier to imagine the economic value of space transportation, manufacturing, and research to break even once we have a long-term presence in space. Until we get there, progress is driven more by ideology and the personal interests, though that only gets us so far. In that sense, if your goal is to make humanity multi-planetary, which it should be, then short-term economic value produced by advancements in space technologies such as Starlink are under-explored and underestimated. Would be very interested in more articles on this topic!
You are right of course. There are practically zero things that can be produced better and/or cheaper in space than on Earth. The one exception being things that should be consumed in space. In that sense every supposedly wasteful space adventure, be it satellite internet or sending billionaires to Mars, is good for the larger space economy since it opens up possibilities for profitable space production.
This is true for the short and medium term. In the longer perspective I expect space to be able to develop its very own economy, where comparisons with Earth become less relevant. It is quite similar to the New England colonies in the 17th century. Exports back to the old continent was relatively unusual since transport costs made them uncompetitive. Instead the colonies produced goods for other more profitable colonies (in the Caribbean) and goods for own consumption, literally producing the basics for new immigrants from Europe.
Space need not be that different. As soon as there are Earthers willing to pay for the pleasure of living in space, there will be a space economy producing goods for these emigrants. Since there is currently nowhere to live in space there is very little interest from capital-rich people to move there. But this might change with only the most basal space colonies.
I'm interested in both Tove's and Ander's interests.
I'm also pro-natal, but never underestimate the power of exponential growth. E.g. if a population grows at a rate of 1% per year for 4,000 years, it grows by a factor of 10^17.
You are right that exponential growth is impressive. And I agree that 10^17 times the current number of humans might not fit into our current solar system. But take 2000 years instead and the population increase will only be a factor of 439 million. That is at least physically possible since the Earth (where all humans currently live) is only receiving 1/2 billionth of all sunlight.
More probably, something entirely unexpected will happen long before that.
I've always thought a torus around an inner sphere would make for an elegant solution.
The torus or doughnut would provide living areas for humans, and space for plant (installations & farms but see below) and the inner sphere or globe hold a mass of water to be used for a thermal mass battery, basically before heat was radiated into space it would provide an intermediatory sink (or buffer).
Keeping the water liquid, could provide an emergency source of energy with appropriate engineering systems, and as well possibly a waterworld that could be used for aquaculture (no weird prairie like expanse of farmland or hydroponics or misting ponics.., the outer water layers itself would provide radiation protection.
Also in space, water is wealth, liquid water more so. Everyone can see how well you are doing.
Using the low gravity regions as water-filled ocean substitutes is an excellent idea. Not only does it utilize what are otherwise hard-to-use low gravity zones, it also creates oceans without creating unnecessary structural stress.
I am not as sure about the water as a wealth marker. Water is plentiful in the solar system, it is just a matter of how accessible it is. Hopefully it will not be inaccessible enough to make water truly valuable.
Although, it would have been interesting if water really turned out to be scarce. Since liquid water is comparatively easy to handle and transport it would make for an ideal raiding commodity. Different space colonies could raid each other looking for water. That would make a mockery of mine (and Tove's) belief that space expansion would be peaceful since it is easier to produce yourself than to steal the production of others.
"I am not as sure about the water as a wealth marker." I am equally unsure about bitcoin mining... but the argument would be the same... like gold being congealed labour, it's shiny and permanent-ish but its the energy spent that makes gold 'valuable'.
Water is heavy, and moving it would use up a part of the mass is used for propulsive fuels...
I could be wrong about water... but in space there is a lot of space and a lot of energy... materials are often trapped in gravity wells.... effort by way of labour and energy raise their ugly heads...
Space has a 0 to 1 problem of incomparable magnitude. It is a lot easier to imagine the economic value of space transportation, manufacturing, and research to break even once we have a long-term presence in space. Until we get there, progress is driven more by ideology and the personal interests, though that only gets us so far. In that sense, if your goal is to make humanity multi-planetary, which it should be, then short-term economic value produced by advancements in space technologies such as Starlink are under-explored and underestimated. Would be very interested in more articles on this topic!
You are right of course. There are practically zero things that can be produced better and/or cheaper in space than on Earth. The one exception being things that should be consumed in space. In that sense every supposedly wasteful space adventure, be it satellite internet or sending billionaires to Mars, is good for the larger space economy since it opens up possibilities for profitable space production.
This is true for the short and medium term. In the longer perspective I expect space to be able to develop its very own economy, where comparisons with Earth become less relevant. It is quite similar to the New England colonies in the 17th century. Exports back to the old continent was relatively unusual since transport costs made them uncompetitive. Instead the colonies produced goods for other more profitable colonies (in the Caribbean) and goods for own consumption, literally producing the basics for new immigrants from Europe.
Space need not be that different. As soon as there are Earthers willing to pay for the pleasure of living in space, there will be a space economy producing goods for these emigrants. Since there is currently nowhere to live in space there is very little interest from capital-rich people to move there. But this might change with only the most basal space colonies.
Personally I came for the space and had the pleasant suppise of great anthro essays. I also lived the last article, but alas I'm a Mega space nerd
I'm interested in both Tove's and Ander's interests.
I'm also pro-natal, but never underestimate the power of exponential growth. E.g. if a population grows at a rate of 1% per year for 4,000 years, it grows by a factor of 10^17.
You are right that exponential growth is impressive. And I agree that 10^17 times the current number of humans might not fit into our current solar system. But take 2000 years instead and the population increase will only be a factor of 439 million. That is at least physically possible since the Earth (where all humans currently live) is only receiving 1/2 billionth of all sunlight.
More probably, something entirely unexpected will happen long before that.
I've always thought a torus around an inner sphere would make for an elegant solution.
The torus or doughnut would provide living areas for humans, and space for plant (installations & farms but see below) and the inner sphere or globe hold a mass of water to be used for a thermal mass battery, basically before heat was radiated into space it would provide an intermediatory sink (or buffer).
Keeping the water liquid, could provide an emergency source of energy with appropriate engineering systems, and as well possibly a waterworld that could be used for aquaculture (no weird prairie like expanse of farmland or hydroponics or misting ponics.., the outer water layers itself would provide radiation protection.
Also in space, water is wealth, liquid water more so. Everyone can see how well you are doing.
Using the low gravity regions as water-filled ocean substitutes is an excellent idea. Not only does it utilize what are otherwise hard-to-use low gravity zones, it also creates oceans without creating unnecessary structural stress.
I am not as sure about the water as a wealth marker. Water is plentiful in the solar system, it is just a matter of how accessible it is. Hopefully it will not be inaccessible enough to make water truly valuable.
Although, it would have been interesting if water really turned out to be scarce. Since liquid water is comparatively easy to handle and transport it would make for an ideal raiding commodity. Different space colonies could raid each other looking for water. That would make a mockery of mine (and Tove's) belief that space expansion would be peaceful since it is easier to produce yourself than to steal the production of others.
"I am not as sure about the water as a wealth marker." I am equally unsure about bitcoin mining... but the argument would be the same... like gold being congealed labour, it's shiny and permanent-ish but its the energy spent that makes gold 'valuable'.
Water is heavy, and moving it would use up a part of the mass is used for propulsive fuels...
I could be wrong about water... but in space there is a lot of space and a lot of energy... materials are often trapped in gravity wells.... effort by way of labour and energy raise their ugly heads...