Gary,
I'm not sure 1,000 is enough to start a modern technological colony but it was surely far more than enough to start a polynesian ones. Perhaps a small initial population accounts for the higher emphasis in reproduction in that culture. 10,000 sounds more reasonable to me. 10 million was a sustainable population number not initial population. I'm not sure whther your number was just the amount needed to begin real colonization or the number needed for a self sufficient colony. 10,000 was my estimate for the later. Of course, self sufficiency always depends on what you are willing to do without.
Your cost nymber sounds real low. How can colonization be cheaper than the 90 day plan? Sounds like your supership would require a lot of the same preliminary infrastructure.
Zubrin style would cost 2*10^10+2or4*10^9*1000/4. Greater than 500 billion assuming no reuse of vehicles. Were you planning on all 1000 in one trip?
Regards,
Mark
Space/Science » in reply to Not that many people required for a Mars colony
Sounds Too Cheap & Too low