> GBurch1@aol.com wrote:Is there a near-term role for manned space stations?...I'd
> be
> especially curious to hear the thoughts of younger folks who may well not be
> infected so strongly with the "space station meme".
Greg, as sad as it sounds, it may be our generation only that is turned on by the space station meme. I have yet to find a person under 25 that is all that excited by it. Perhaps the low earth orbitting station is an idea whose time is passed. You and I grew up with the same pictures in the encyclopedia, the same books no doubt. I recall seeing the first moon landing as an 8 yr old, and thinking how wicked cool is this whole adventure. But I have seen some of the younger crowd, Eliezer for instance, diss the whole thing.
My view is this: even if we get nanotechnology and tinkerbellize ourselves, sooner
or later, we will convert this whole planet, then this solar system into
tinkerbellized
transhumans and supporting infrastructure. Sooner or later, we *must* go
out there. This is why I am so interested in SETI@home, just so I can
estimate what kinds of challenges face us, or future transhumans. spike