Off world colonies would need to be entirely self-sustaining only if a disaster struck the Earth leaving it uninhabitable. In that scenario, off world self-sustainability would become imperative. Consider this: the Earth as a whole is self-sustaining. We know what we need to be able to do to make other worlds self sustaining too. Yes a pure Autarky is vastly inefficient compared to modern Earth globalized civilization, but that doesn't make it completely impossible. It's a matter of developing the agricultural capacity, energy reserves, and industries required to sustain itself. Food is the biggest issue: Lots of greenhouses for crops. Lots of lab grown meats. Energy infrastructure, mining capacity, jobs and manufacturing of every type. Obviously it would be far more stoic than currently on earth, but I don't think off world self-sustainability is impossible.
Space/Science » in reply to There is no such thing as a 'self-sustaining outpost'.
Sorry, just noticed this post.
The whole thread (35 posts)
- NASA's Moon Base User’s Guide
- Corrosion?
- The abandoning of the Lunar Gateway station was effectively spitting in the face of our European partners
- Mixed feelings
- No space station?