I recently updated my Future History: Spacefaring Societies, Resources and Logistics essay, that expands on the Afterwords and References chapters in my e-novel ‘The Universe–or Nothing.’ The novel (2006) is archived in the Project Gutenberg Library Archive Foundation (PGLAF) from where it may be freely downloaded at: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/18257
The essay (about 8,000 words and more than 20 active links to supporting data) may be freely downloaded at: http://scribe1917x.livejournal.com/4923.html
The novel and the follow-on essay speculate on a possible far-stretching future for humankind from realities of this era.
Excerpt from the essay’s Preface:
There is a convergent, worldwide focus in these early decades of the 21st century on:
— the Earth’s steadily diminishing reserves of accessible metals, minerals and other natural-state ‘nonrenewable’ substances that are essential to sustain civilization’s industrial base into the future;
— developing technological and logistics’ concepts and capabilities to locate, identify and acquire essential industrial-base substances from ever-deepening wells in the Earth’s crust and sea beds; and increasing confidence that, in time, the planet’s diminishing reserves of ‘industrial-base nonrenewables’ will be replenished from elsewhere throughout the Solar System and beyond;
and
— Initiatives and commitments throughout the world toward creating the means by which humankind will transform into realities its vision of evolving into an eventual spacefaring race.
Meyer Moldeven (Mike)
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‘It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.’
Dr. Robert H. Goddard, Rocket Pioneer
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‘There is no way back into the past; the choice, as H. G. Wells once said, is ‘the universe — or nothing.’ Though men and civilizations may yearn for rest, for the dream of the lotus-eaters, that is a desire that merges imperceptibly into death. The challenge of the great spaces between the worlds is a stupendous one; but if we fail to meet it, the story of our race will be drawing to its close.”
Arthur C. Clarke