July 23, 1975
Nasa Ames Research Center, Space Settlements, Spreading life throughout the solar systemThe central ideas of space colonization are:
1) To establish a highly-industrialized, self-maintaining human community in free space, at a location along the orbit of the moon called L5 (Figure 1) where free solar energy is available full time.
2) To construct that community on a short time scale, without depending on rocket engines any more advanced than those of the space shuttle.
3) To reduce the costs greatly by obtaining nearly all of the construction materials from the surface of the moon.
4) At the space community, to process lunar surface raw materials into metals, ceramics, glass and oxygen for the construction of both additional communities and of products such as satellite solar power stations. The power stations would be relocated in synchronous orbit about the earth, to supply the earth with electrical energy by low-density microwave beams.
5) Throughout the program, to rely only on those technologies which are available at the time, while recognizing and supporting the development of more advanced technologies if their benefits are clear.
THE SPACE COLONY CONCEPT
Although it has precursors in the works of many authors, the modern idea of space colonies originated from several questions, posed six years ago as an academic exercise:
1) Is it possible, within the limits of 1970's technology, using only the ordinary construction materials with which we are already familiar, to build communities in free space rather than on a planetary surface like the earth, the moon, or Mars?
2) Can these communities be large enough, and sufficiently earth-like, to be attractive to live in; small worlds of their own rather than simply space stations?
3) Would such colonies have unique advantages from an economic viewpoint, so that they could justify the costs of their construction and contribute in a productive way to the total human community?
4) If such colonies were built, would their further development be such as to relieve the earth of further exploitation by the industrial revolution, and to open up a new frontier to challenge the best and highest aspirations of the human race?
Surprisingly, six years of continued research has confirmed, in even more increasing detail, that the answer to all four of these questions is a strong ''yes."
