[RightWhale]

As usual they miss most of the major points. They also think small. Their guns are small bore and always will be.

[WyldKard]

The only way we're going to be able to achieve any of this in our lifetime is by opening it up to private enterprise.

[longshadow]

solar system bump

[Lokibob]

One could come up with a conspiracy theory concerning the reason we quit going to the moon when linked to helium3. After all, a shuttle load of H3 would power the U.S. for a year. Following is from Space.com on helium 3:

Researchers and space enthusiasts see helium 3 as the perfect fuel source: extremely potent, nonpolluting, with virtually no radioactive by-product. Proponents claim it’s the fuel of the 21st century. The trouble is, hardly any of it is found on Earth. But there is plenty of it on the moon.

Society is straining to keep pace with energy demands, expected to increase eightfold by 2050 as the world population swells toward 12 billion. The moon just may be the answer.

"Helium 3 fusion energy may be the key to future space exploration and settlement," said Gerald Kulcinski, Director of the Fusion Technology Institute (FTI) at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Scientists estimate there are about 1 million tons of helium 3 on the moon, enough to power the world for thousands of years. The equivalent of a single space shuttle load or roughly 25 tons could supply the entire United States' energy needs for a year, according to Apollo17 astronaut and FTI researcher Harrison Schmitt.

[Brett66]

Index.

[Brett66]

They do think small, just like you said. None of the toys that they envision can provide the mass tonnage neccessary to build large space hotels,manufacturing facilities or SPS's in space. Such structures demand ET mining. The economics would be almost impossible to justify if we ship the materials from Earth unless launch costs are driven down to less than $10/lb.