Personifying the Earth as fragile, Stephen Hawking, has drawn attention to a fact that earth might not be able to support us after 1,000 years and hence humanity must try its aim of going into space for colonization.
Technologically humans have advanced relatively but predicting a lush world other than Earth is not that easy. Therefore, to colonize any planet in space, first thing we would require is gravity and artificial habitat. Alternatively, we need to travel insurmountable light years to reach/look for a planet that is already sodden with the basic requirement, which of course is an impossible task.
Changing gravity of other planets’ too is not an easy task either. Plus, we don’t have that high level of expertise and technology.
Colonizing in Zero Gravity
We can colonize in space where is zero gravity. This would assist in constructing huge structures. In addition, there would be continuous supply of solar energy hence, a possibility of creating Earth like habitat.
Technologies like O’Neill Cylinders, Bernal Sphere, Stanford Torus and Hollowed Asteroids would assist us in the same. And we might harvest asteroids and comets in case we require more resources.
It won’t take much time to come back to the orbit from Earth for quick resupply for the establishment of colonies, which however will be a problem had the colonies be constructed in some other planet.
Unlike the settlement on Mars or Moon, space settlement will have its advantage on the wonderful view of stars at night and the living, ever-changing Earth. Night sky of any other planet or moon to say will have a view of unchanging surface.
Living in an arena where there is no concept of gravity or of weightlessness will be fun. Dance, sports and acrobatics will then go to new dimensions.
Survival of an unmasked human in an orbit would be difficult so bigger colonies would have to be constructed. The structures would be so huge that even though we’d be inside yet it’ll give an ambience of out of doors.
Orbital colonies would have desirable properties, it won’t be as colder as Mars neither as hot as Moon (during the daytime).
Earth settlement versus Space Colonization
Subjugation or usurpation was the basic tenet on which settlements on earth has been build at least history is one proof it. This however will not be the case with space colonization.
Habitation in space has to start from level zero. It would be a personification of hard labor bore out of great technological advances. If we start building our space settlements today, we would be able to transport humanity to safer regions, when disaster strikes some part of the world.
Unlike the settlement on earth, space colonization will have ample space for growth, which means, it has an ability to build new land than taking from someone else. Hence, humanity will have chance of growing more than fighting amongst themselves. And this further might give them time to think on creative side as well. They already would be technologically advanced who knows, they might come up with solution related to Lunar and Martian colonization, which of course would be the nest step then.
Humans are curious by nature, for an instance take the case of a baby, they love space, as soon as they start to crawl, they want to explore the entire house, the rooms, the things around them. They are not scared of being hurt, in fact they have no notion of it. They are just awestruck of all those things that they experience by pushing the boundaries. If babies can do it, we can too after all, we still feell enthralled by the new discoveries that we make and we are still not scared of reaching the peak, do we?
