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Thanks AAC.

There are political reasons for a permanent human presence on the Moon; basically, after the “dark side” radioastronomy station(s) is (are) set up, a permanent human presence would be unnecessary, and possibly counterproductive to the astronomy to be done. It’s pretty clear that the only way I’d ever get a ride into space would be if I signed up for pioneering on Mars, but I don’t support the idea otherwise. :’)

There are a few places in the Solar System where humans can set foot, including the Moon, Mars, Mercury, and some few of the moons of the large outer planets. I think that (for political as well as some scientific reasons) the US should be first on all of them. Large, slow, space-station-like craft should be used to get to the intended celestial body. A more-or-less permanent human presence on Mars should consist of a space station in orbit around Mars, giving the astronauts a destination, and making bops down to the surface and back a lot more practical and safe.

The US should also build a plasma-drive (or some other advanced propulsion system) capable of pushing a decent sized probe to Alpha Centauri within a longer timeframe.

The most important job in space is to identify all the random bits of larger debris which could come crashing down on the Earth over time. The second most important is to assay these same chunks and prospect ‘em for minerals.

Uh, I think Mercury might be just a teensy weensey warm for human habitation.

""From the night, Mercury's surface temperature changes 1,130 °F (630 °C), more than any other planet or moon in the solar system. Just before sunrise on a typical day on Mercury the temperature is -300 °F (-180 °C). By midmorning the temperature rises to 80 °F (27 °C). At noontime, 22 Earth days since the sun rise, it has climbed to 765 °F (407 °C). In the early afternoon the temperature reaches a high of 800 °F (427 °C), hot enough to melt zinc and tin."

It is more than political, from my point of view. One reason is survival of the species. By spreading ourselves “out there” we increase our probability of survival (not to mention giving humanity more elbow room). Also, the vast riches of mineral and chemical resources out there is mind-boggling. Our own solar system is a treasure trove of materials for humanity and could supply humanity’s needs nicely for a very long time.

The most effective way to protect earth from killer asteroids is to mine them out. This will be done by private industry as soon as the Treaty becomes a non-issue. Those who propose to go around the Treaty like the idea of scoundrels flaunting the law but ignore the fact that the scoundrels are all talk and no funding while the Treaty in in force.