Colonies in Space?

Gareth37

Do NASA or anyone else have any plans for this?

R0ot

I remember hearing things about moon colonies again this year, whether it actually materializes is another question.

Gareth37

R0ot wrote: »

I remember hearing things about moon colonies again this year, whether it actually materializes is another question.

Thats a terrible sig.

I wouldn't be one bit surprised if we see space colonies of some sort within 12 years although the ISS could be described as a space colony.

Capt'n Midnight

biosphere 2 didn't work out so well so colonies are still a long way away

cost is also a factor the ISS is a money pit , could have been thrown up very easily as a wet laboratory based on a few saturn 5 / energia / space shuttle external tanks

still not too late to leave a shuttle or two in orbit attached to the ISS on last flight, extra space and a life boat and you could rob bits of it to fix stuff on the ISS

passive

ha... r0ot.. don't lie, you replied here just for the sig juxtaposition!

R0ot

passive wrote: »

ha... r0ot.. don't lie, you replied here just for the sig juxtaposition!

Actually no I made the sig after seeing the post but was genuinely interested in the colonies in space Idea.

Also Gareth my sig is FANTASTIC!

AtomicHorror

Hello Gareth, good to see you're branching out.

The current NASA plan seems to be a lunar colony along the lines of the ISS- permanent with a crew on 6 month rotations. Since NASA's return to the Moon isn't on the cards until 2020, that's the soonest we're likely to see construction of any American base begin. Given that the ISS took so long to sort out, a functioning lunar base seems unlikely before 2030.

The ESA and the Russians seem interested in making a go of sending some people that way too. Of course by that stage it's quite possible that the Chinese and Indians will already be there building skyscrapers, and let's face it, Richard Branson will almost certainly be there before NASA get their asses in gear.

Calibos

It seems the devils in the details as to whether there will be space colonies.

Something to note. In space only the devil can hear you scream.

Conor108

Isn't the manned mission to Mars for NASA in something like 2037? Buzz Aldrin made that speech a few weeks back about how a manned mission to Mars should be one-way:eek:

Hellm0

Conor108 wrote: »

Isn't the manned mission to Mars for NASA in something like 2037? Buzz Aldrin made that speech a few weeks back about how a manned mission to Mars should be one-way:eek:

I'd go.

AtomicHorror

Conor108 wrote: »

Isn't the manned mission to Mars for NASA in something like 2037?

It's all pretty speculative right now. They're still trying to sort out the successor to the Space Shuttle and it doesn't seem to be going to schedule.

Gareth37

Thanks very much for the replies.

Space colonies other than the ISS would not be a surprise for me anyway. But Im not sure if it will happen. Im expect some great things from these great governments pretty soon :rolleyes: