Why the continued survival of human kind may require space elevators, and O'Neill-type colonies.

To put it simply, earth if a finite system. It has a set amount of every chemical element, drinkable water, breathable air, and farm land. The earth's population will most likely reach 9 billion plus inhabitants by 2050. Additionally, our industry runs as a linear system with in our earth's finite system. This contradiction is beyond repair with the nearly 7 billion people we have now, let alone 9 billion.

The only way to bring a resolution to the problem is to turn to the infinite resources of space. We can break the limitation of the finite earth, by bridging the gap between it, and space. A space elevator would serve this purpose, and O'Neill type colonies would provide room for a growing human population.

The human race may even escape it's own extinction from a catastrophic impact. Sooner or later, something, as big, or bigger, than what killed the dinosaurs will collide with the earth, it's not a question of if, it's a question of when. O'Neill type colonies may very well become Arks floating through space.

How we do this is a topic of growing debate, as the technology needed presents it self at a steadily increasing rate. What is lacking is the political vision. While a manned mission to mars is both exciting, and tempting, it is ultimately a goal that should come after human kind has a steady foot hold in space, and is able to build a mars lander primarily in space. Going to mars means little if we can't even live just a few thousand miles above our own earth.

Ultimately my argument is this, the human race doesn't desire a space elevator, and colonies It needs a space elevator, and colonies for it's future survival, and we need to keep this in mind during our efforts in the 21st century.

iReporting
Keith.J.Lemire