| From: | Neal A Porter <nap@*****.PHYSICS.SWIN.OZ.AU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Space colonies (why none) |
| Date: | Mon, 17 Jan 1994 14:29:39 +1100 |
orbital habitats, but are there any colonies on the Moon? Mars? The asteriod
belt (for mining)? Or is this something for the NAGEE I could take a crack at?
-------------
Steve Hilberg
Remember the crash of '29, in which most of the worlds computers were
corrupted, with preferance for secure and encoded systems, taking with it
most of the worlds research (that on computer at least, which needless to
say is pretty well all of it). And if this isn't enough of a set back how
about the VISTAS plagues (1/2 the world pop dead), goblinization (40% of
the worlds remaining pop effected) and the awakening (lot of people
eaten/burnt/crushed etc here, just look at Tehran, or should I say what's
left of Tehran). But perhaps the major factor would be the control of the
Mega Corps, as they would realy be the only ones capable of putting the
funds required to 'rediscover' the Lost Tech (check Shadow Play for
Lost Tech). And as we all know that they are only interested in MONEY
(note the capitals), with this in mind they would channel their funds into
the research that can return profit quickly, or reliably in the long term.
Space exploration doesn't fall in this profitable catagory. The only reason
that todays world governments keep it up is for national prestige and the
odd spin off (which in no way could cover their layout for the projects).
And even today there are no real plans to continue manned exploration.
As to mining the asteriod belt, why bother, the earth still has a lot left
in her if you aren't worryed about silly things like massive strip mining.
And you can bet your booties that most Mega Corps don't give a damn about
environmental impact if it isn't forced down their throats, not to mention
the extraterratoriality (???) of the Corps. Allowing them to do anything
they want to areas that are within Corp duristiction.
The only reason for the space habitats is that most of them were up there
already and would have gone to waste otherwise (a waste of resources,
something no Mega Corp would stand for).
You may say that why don't the goverments fund space research?? My
responce to this is which goverment could? The USA no longer exists, and
the UCAS is bearly 1/2 its original size (with VISTAS that make for 1/4 the
pop), so they are out. The USSR/CIS/whatever is fragmented, etc. There is
no goverment left in the SR world that COULD finance such a venture. Only
the Corps could (see above for why they wouldn't).
And even if the corps wanted space exploration, you can bet that they
would ridgly control access to the installation up there. (Check the
Corp Shadowfiles about the Zurich Obital to see just how hard it would be).
If you want a space campaign try playing Traveller or Star Wars, SR isn't
the one for you.
( mind you I have been toying with the idea of setting a SR based system
in the future, about 1000-1500 years from 2050, with the corps controlling
whole star systems. But it strikes even me as a bit far fetched )
Adeus.
