Wait wait wait wait... what's Kerbal Space Program? This sounds cool. App or computer?

I fully admit that I screwed up on one of the replies to a comment. While I know that the Asteroid Belt comes AFTER Mars... I suggested going to Ceres before Mars. Yeah, sorry about that.

You have more expertise than I, so I have to ask... how does it currently work when something docs with the ISS and then has to leave? Why can't we do that?

That would be absolutely incredible!! Was it theoretical or was someone hoping to fund it?

This is something my buddy and I have discussed for years. It might be the end of unemployment. Sure, it'd bring a host of new issues, but one thing at a time!

Morty can we dig into why the higher orbit? That one intrigues me... is it to make it even easier to escape Earth's pull if you push off from there? Is there any reasonable way to a) expand the ISS and b) move it further out than it's current orbit?

My daughter is so into it. She's a bit young to talk "career" but I think she'd love to have something to do with space one day. I actually just remembered that I said she could have a new telescope for Hanukkah... so we'll call that the "bonus" present.

This is utterly fascinating. Wondering if picking up fuel from the moon is viable... if there are other things we could use for fuel beyond what we've always considered, if we don't have to escape Earth's gravity well first.

So, I'll challenge you: what if we headed for, say, Ceres first, and then on to Mars?

Well, that's one heck of an answer to "Why not" and makes an enormous amount of sense. I'm actually going to bring this one up the next time my daughter and I start in on it!

What you're saying makes a massive amount of sense. It's something I've thought about for years, actually, and feeds into the "how do we overcome the selfishness" that you referenced. It was always about "what technology could apply here" based loosely around concepts like velcro.

What items would have profitable application on Earth. Or what could we find in terms of mining capabilities out there that would be lucrative enough for people to invest in. That seems like it could be enough to entice people to invest in setting up shop on Luna. The question is, is it lucrative enough.

It's really sad to read this... not that I think it's wrong. More that, yeah, maybe that's why we are were we are right now. A far cry from the Kennedy challenge, after all. Kind of a bummer.

It's ridiculously expensive to get off of Earth, no doubt. My thought on b) is that, the more we can send up at one time vs wasting space, don't we go for it? Obviously, the eventual hope would be to find the ability to mine and manufacture outside of Earth... but that's likely decades away (assuming it's even realistic) right? No sci-fi situations any time soon, sadly. :(