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By far the biggest obstacle to technology is LAWYERS! That's my worst fear...liability lawsuits in space...I feel an entire fresh ad hoc legal system would be a great draw to get people up to space and also give the economic impetus to do risky operations like asteroid mining...But it would amount to secession(sp?) from the Earthly economy to be protected from lawsuits...Tough issue...Wish I could be frozen for 200 years...But I've got reasons to stay "warm"...and sci fi covers all eventualities...

But it would amount to secession(sp?) from the Earthly economy

Earth's economy is unfortunately going to be the name of the game for a very long time to come. When amateurs pay their $20 million to ride the Soyuz, they have to sign a release as well. Asteroid mining will be the same; the problem will be if there is an accident involving property loss when the product is delivered. Hot coffee at McDonalds will be child's play. Imagine the imaginations at work to find a problem with objects [pick one, car motors] made of metal mined from asteroids. It will take a while for asteroid mining to be accepted and get all the usual legal sharks fed.