[clmul]

But why would you want that we become a space-faring species, at all costs? There is not much interesting to find in space, compared to what we have on Earth (especially not close to us, and I do not see us getting out of the solar system for a long time). Perhaps you could argue that we might do asteroid mining at some point, but at the moment that's very far out of reach.

[short_sells_poo]

Because we are limited in every conceivable way down here on Earth. Transportation is expensive, resource extraction is expensive, resources are limited, space is limited, pollution is a problem, energy generation runs into geopolitical, geographical and efficiency issues. And so on.

Never mind the problem of us being one asteroid strike or supervolcano away from a cataclysm, and that's not an if but a when.

I have a feeling that for humans to transcend the proverbial great filter, we have to tap into the vast quantities of resources and energy in the solar system, but more importantly rekindle the pioneering era that last ended with the industrial revolution.

The expensive part of the space industry is lifting infrastructure from ground to space. Moving within the solar system is comparatively cheap if we avoid descending into the gravity well of other planets. Luckily, this is unnecessary for most asteroid mining.

Humankind experienced incredible advances with the toppling of every transportational frontier. The wheel, seafaring, motorized transport and flight all resulted in expansions lasting a hundred years each.

The next frontier is the solar system. We don't know if we'll be able to ever leave it, but that's irrelevant because it can be our home for the next billion years. Our best shot at actually preserving the habitability of Earth is exploiting resources out in space.

[K0SM0S]

I have no idea who downvotes such a wonderfully worded and inspiring comment, but surely, those willing to follow the space path and those willing to remain here on Earth should neither deny the other side of their dream nor enact "rules" that forbid it.

In fact, I'm pretty sure both "sides" would benefit greatly from cooperating. It might even be that these aren't "sides" but just different cousins of the family with different outlooks on their own life, and we need a little bit of everything, and everyone, to make a world.

[outworlder]

Exactly. We need a backup. Right now, the Earth is a single point of failure.

[vidarh]

It's all always going to remain out of reach for a long time if we don't try.

[m4rtink]

There is also the possibility that we miss an open window of opportunity. This might be a key resource running out, a plague or global war or even an asteroid impact.

That might close the window of opportunity and not give us a second chance. So better not risk it. :-)

[EthanHeilman]

I'd bet you a coffee that, barring a collapse or decline of our present global society, we will have launched a probe to another star before 2100 with a planned arrival before 2150.