[venomsnake]

Or you send some self replicating stuff on the moon, build some factories and solar panels, and build and launch robots from there. We have the technology to do this right now if we are willing to put the money. And if we polish the moon we could beam excess energy to earth.

[justinpombrio]

> Or you send some self replicating stuff on the moon [...] > We have the technology to do this right now

Do we? Self-replicating robots would be very exciting, even on Earth, but I thought we weren't close to being able to make them. Do you have a citation/link?

[anonymfus]

FANUC factories.

2003:

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2...

2007 (?):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SREct28lJM

2010:

http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/magazine/content/10_49/b42060442...

2015:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/japanese-robot-maker-fanuc-revea... (put google in the referrer to avoid paywall)

[ju-st]

They are just a industrial automation company. Why should they be able to build stuff on the moon?

[venomsnake]

You have 3d printers that can print themselves. That is a cornerstone.

[simcop2387]

Everything except assembly, the motors, and the electronics. It's definitely getting closer but we don't have printers that can actually print themselves just yet.

[japhyr]

What do you mean by "polish the moon"?

[yebyen]

I can only assume it means creating a large, vigorously reflective surface. Not the whole moon, but presumably making a reflective, concave part large enough to send a focused beam of directed energy.

(NB: this doesn't sound like a good idea to me, or necessarily realistic, I'm just guessing that's what is meant.)

[jharger]

Colonize it with Polish people, of course.

[fishnchips]

Just make sure to send the government up there first.

[venomsnake]

Cover it with solar cells.

[whoopdedo]

Chrome the moon?