[Arizhel]

Yeah, but the problem here is that it seems unlikely that it'll be affordable to set up a self-sustaining colony any time in the foreseeable future without the resources of a large nation-state. And again, remember my previous post is talking about (and questioning the idea of) colonizing places other than Mars and the Moon (see the line about "except for a couple of somewhat-convenient places"), which are certainly the two easiest places in the solar system to colonize. I see I've been downvoted by some jerk, but of course no one can come up with a logical response to my question; how typical. So again, why would anyone bother colonizing one of these places (again, *other than Moon or Mars)? If you have that much money, and want to set up a self-sustaining colony and those two worlds aren't available for some reason, wouldn't it make a lot more sense to just build an independent space station? Then you could just stick it in Solar orbit not too far from Earth, or at a Lagrangian point, so you're not too far from or too near to the Sun, you're close enough to Earth for resupply in case that becomes necessary, you're close enough to Earth/Moon to take advantage of and participate in any space-based industrial activity there, and there's effectively unlimited space for space stations.

[nickjarboe]

I agree independent space stations make more sense than anywhere but maybe Mars. Using small, near-Earth asteroids for bulk resources at first seems likely. But for political autonomy, near Earth is unlikely. Earth's political systems will have a high incentive to have some control over massive objects moving very fast near the planet.

[Arizhel]

They don't have to be that near Earth. Just nearer than the outer planets, the asteroid belt, probably Mars, etc.

Besides, if it's strategically placed, it could easily threaten Earth with kinetic projectiles if Earth's political systems attempt to take control of it. Military units inside a deep gravity well have an enormous disadvantage to those outside the gravity well.