How conservative are Homelanders really?

[Blazkovitz]

(04-17-2020, 08:53 PM)Tim Randal Walker Wrote: Space missions that I have seen proposed:

1.  Manned flyby of Venus.

2.  Manned Venus orbiter.

3.  Manned rendezvous with an Earth approaching asteroid.

4.  Manned flyby of Mars.

5.  Manned rendezvous with the moons of Mars.

6.  Manned landing on Mars.


These proposals are based on existing technology.  From analyses I have seen, manned flyby of Venus was possible with a single launch vehicle, either the Soviet Energia booster or the American Saturn 5.  The most difficult of the list, the manned Mars landing, would involve the assembly of Mars ship in low Earth orbit using multiple launch vehicles.

Going farther out is harder.  More distant goals, which might be embraced by the New Heroes in the early 22nd century.

I agree. Orbital and Martian settlement will probably start during the 2T and 3T as intentional communities, created by groups wanting radical freedom from Earth establishment(s).