Part 6/11:
The Path to Economic Viability in Space
To understand what it would take to create a financially viable economy in space, one must examine how societies can improve outputs through increased labor, enhanced technologies, and resource accessibility. Recent growth has accelerated due to technological innovation, but limited resources on Earth pose significant challenges for future expansion.
Speculations about harvesting asteroids or constructing Dyson spheres seem far-fetched without addressing cost-benefit dynamics. For instance, the estimate of over $150 billion for the ISS highlights the financial magnitude of current space projects. While certain asteroids contain valuable resources, the astronomical costs tied to space missions overshadow potential gains.