upvote

points

by tliptay4 hours ago |
comments
upvoteby germinalphrase4 hours ago|
next
[-]
“potentially makes humans inter-planetary”

What is the realistic, non-science fiction appeal of this?

reply
upvoteby stouset3 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
I would wager minerals mining and tourism are probably the only meaningful revenue sources in our lifetimes.
reply
upvoteby ant6n3 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
Going to orbit is actually useful already, cf starlink
reply
upvoteby stouset2 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
Yeah, I meant in addition to what we’re already doing.

I do think that will reach diminishing returns at some point. Kessler syndrome is a real thing for long-term higher orbits.

reply
upvoteby compiler-guy4 hours ago|
prev|
[-]
These premises may or may not make sense, but the thing that matters is capturable revenue.

Humans being interplanetary would be an amazing technical tour de force. But relatively speaking, there isn’t much revenue there.

reply
upvoteby malfist3 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
These premises may or may not make sense, but the thing that matters is capturable revenue.

European settlers being on the north american continent would be an amazing technical tour de force. But relatively speaking, there isn't much revenue there.

reply
upvoteby WalterBright3 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
Jamestown was a failure.

The Pilgrims starved their first year.

reply
upvoteby malfist3 hours ago|
parent|
[-]
Okay? The US is the largest country market in the world.
reply
upvoteby prewett2 hours ago|
parent|
next
[-]
I'm not sure that the continental Colonies brought in much revenue, though. The individual colonists could do quite well, but viewed as an financial investment for the British Crown (which they were not, but that's the OP's analogy) I don't think they were very good. Plus, when they wanted to extract revenue via taxes, the Colonies revolted. Eight years of war probably cost a pretty penny, too.

(Sourcing my claim is difficult. I include this reference [1], which says that the Caribbean colonies were more profitable than all the continental colonies together. It doesn't comment on the cost of the war.)

[1] https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-ushistory1ay/chapter/...

reply
upvoteby WalterBright2 hours ago|
parent|
prev|
[-]
America became a success much later.
reply