What Nations Could start Space Colonies (In the Future)?

[Hammerfest]

I'm calling BS on this clarification.

I'm totally fine with you thinking that.

I do want to ask a general question regarding the subject, though. Why hasn't a nation built some kind of space colony yet? I mean, we landed on the moon in 1969. We should have something on Venus by now, I would think. Plenty of resources there. We haven't even built any re-usable structures on the moon either.

[Berengil]

With nanotech and cold fusion ( both by the end of this century imo) solar system opens wide. I'd say: USA (with Japan hitching a ride), India, EU, China. Brazil may cooperate with EU.

Earliest will be science research and mining stations on the moon and asteroids ( with smaller asteroids pulled into earth orbit). Long term settlements just for population alone will be moon and mars.

[Deleted]

Yemen.

=1hcahr

[Berengil]

I'm totally fine with you thinking that.

I do want to ask a general question regarding the subject, though. Why hasn't a nation built some kind of space colony yet? I mean, we landed on the moon in 1969. We should have something on Venus by now, I would think. Plenty of resources there. We haven't even built any re-usable structures on the moon either.

Venus is a hellhole, Hammer. Any exploitation of it is waaaaaay off. Seriously, just read its wikipedia entry. The place is as close to Hell as any place in the system.

[Deleted]

I'm totally fine with you thinking that.

I do want to ask a general question regarding the subject, though. Why hasn't a nation built some kind of space colony yet? I mean, we landed on the moon in 1969. We should have something on Venus by now, I would think. Plenty of resources there. We haven't even built any re-usable structures on the moon either.

I think it's because it costs an absurd amount of money. Not much else to it.

[lazypeon100]

I'm totally fine with you thinking that.

I do want to ask a general question regarding the subject, though. Why hasn't a nation built some kind of space colony yet? I mean, we landed on the moon in 1969. We should have something on Venus by now, I would think. Plenty of resources there. We haven't even built any re-usable structures on the moon either.

Whatever we make would have to be pretty much constructed on the moon. From there that colony would have to be self sufficient, requiring things like food and water. Would be kind of shitty to make a colony on the moon as an example and not have ready access to basic needs.

You listed Venus as an example, which has numerous issues. Proximity to the sun makes it too hot (it's 864 degrees / or 462 Celsius). Venus also has high concentrations of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere (96%). A quick wikipedia shows that it is not considered toxic however here's a quote.

"In concentrations up to 1% (10,000 ppm), it will make some people feel drowsy and give the lungs a stuffy feeling.[92] Concentrations of 7% to 10% (70,000 to 100,000 ppm) may cause suffocation, even in the presence of sufficient oxygen, manifesting as dizziness, headache, visual and hearing dysfunction, and unconsciousness within a few minutes to an hour.[94] The physiological effects of acute carbon dioxide exposure are grouped together under the term hypercapnia, a subset of asphyxiation."

There's plenty of other issues as well, but why would any nation want a space colony right now seems like a more important question. Does it benefit that nation in any meaningful way that the people or the government will appreciate? How much will it cost? Etc.

Your question is sort of like "Why haven't we made underwater cities if we have submarines." It's for many of the same reasons, there isn't a good enough reason to yet, and a lot of money / effort would have to be put into it, as well as research.

[dixincide]

Syria
10char

[Theodarzna]

Venus is a hellhole, Hammer. Any exploitation of it is waaaaaay off. Seriously, just read its wikipedia entry. The place is as close to Hell as any place in the system.

If we were okay with floating, just above the acid clouds Venus is actually an ideal place. With gravity comparable to earth and an orbit that makes back and forth transportation much faster and easier, Venus is actually better over all.

[Ripster42]

If we were okay with floating, just above the acid clouds Venus is actually an ideal place. With gravity comparable to earth and an orbit that makes back and forth transportation much faster and easier, Venus is actually better over all.

The only reason you're pushing venus over mars is because you've got boundaries, and they don't include a lot of strange men (looking at your sig).

[Deleted]

EU is trying to have a first moon base, US are eyeing for Mars expedition. Japan as far as I know is only interested in orbital satellites. Russia and China? Who knows?

http://www.space.com/31488-european-...ase-2030s.html

[Theodarzna]

The only reason you're pushing venus over mars is because you've got boundaries, and they don't include a lot of strange men (looking at your sig).

That makes zero sense.

[Masark]

Venus is a hellhole, Hammer. Any exploitation of it is waaaaaay off. Seriously, just read its wikipedia entry. The place is as close to Hell as any place in the system.

Venus is actually fairly nice at high altitudes. Float 50km up (fairly easy as nitrogen/oxygen is less dense than CO2. A balloon full of Earth air would float like a helium balloon on Venus) and it's about the closest thing to Earth-like in this solar system outside of Earth itself. Livable temperatures (About the same range as a Canadian winter), 1atm of air pressure, 0.9g of gravity, radiation protection equivalent to Earth, etc.

[Theodarzna]

Venus is actually fairly nice at high altitudes. Float 50km up (fairly easy as nitrogen/oxygen is less dense than CO2. A balloon full of Earth air would float like a helium balloon on Venus) and it's about the closest thing to Earth-like in this solar system outside of Earth itself. Livable temperatures (About the same range as a Canadian winter), 1atm of air pressure, 0.9g of gravity, radiation protection equivalent to Earth, etc.

The added benefit of extra solar power and our effect on the environment, over time Venus will get more friendly on the surface.

[Ripster42]

That makes zero sense.

If you're mars, you don't want people on you. So you're trying to pawn people off on venus. It wasn't very funny, sorry.

[Theodarzna]

If you're mars, you don't want people on you. So you're trying to pawn people off on venus. It wasn't very funny, sorry.

I love Sailor Venus too, I just worry not to many people can handle Mars..... XD

On a real note I think Venus might be more habitable if we stay in the clouds.