Should Humanity expand to the Stars? II

[Pax Nerdvana]

This is a reboot of an old thread I created that was locked for not having a long enough OP.
Ok. Here we go.
Humanity needs to expand to the stars. If we don't, we're going to probably die out. Whether it's through nuclear war, or famine or disease, or whatever. Should we focus on developing FTL, or something else, like launching ships with the crew all in stasis towards a far star, or something along those lines. Currently, we have all our eggs in one basket, so to speak. A single war could wipe us out. Or an outbreak of disease. In my opinion, the only direction we can go is up. What do you guys think about this? What do you guys think we should do?
Just as a reminder, no flaming or trolling.

[Albrenia]

Yes. Absolutely we should.

Hopefully we'll find a way to fudge the rules and get FTL, but assuming we don't, we'll just have to expand slowly using big-ass, self-sufficient vessels which can make home in the void (and maybe on the occasional world).

[Sleet Clans]

Hell to the yes. We've been stuck on this planet for too long, despite having made hundreds of scientific advancements in the last 100 years. If we had focused all of our resources on space about 50 years ago, we would probably be on Mars right now

[Petrasylvania]

Fucking mindworms.

[Pax Nerdvana]

FTL is the preferred option, but colony/stasis ships are our next best bet.

[Xuswaycia]

Earth will eventually run out of space and resources, we have to expand to space.

[United Muscovite Nations]

I don't think we have the resources or technology to be able to do such a feat. Such ventures would be very small at best.

[Pax Nerdvana]

Hell to the yes. We've been stuck on this planet for too long, despite having made hundreds of scientific advancements in the last 100 years. If we had focused all of our resources on space about 50 years ago, we would probably be on Mars right now

Yeah. Imagine if NASA had continued development of the X-15, or even the remarkably dumb Project Orion.

[Stellar Colonies]

Heck yes.

But we can't do it for a while. We first need to get a foothold in rest of the Solar System first and develop the technology for it. Stabilizing conditions on Earth (Both societal and environmental) would also be helpful.

It's unlikely that we will find a way to go FTL (For a long time at least), so the first interstellar ships with carrying people will either be a generation or sleeper ship. Or even a combination for all we know.

[Arridian Islands]

Honestly, it would seem like a waste of money at the moment. In 200 years, definitely

[Constantinopolis]

Of course. I would go so far as to say that this is Humanity's destiny.

However, we really need to start with the planets of the Solar System first. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

[Pax Nerdvana]

Martian and Lunar colonies'll be the first step. We will have to start with sleeper or generation ships 'till we get FTL.

[Ethel mermania]

I believe we must inflict upon the rest of the universe, humans.

[Pax Nerdvana]

We will unleash the horrors of the human race on any aliens!

[Imperium Sidhicum]

Humanity doesn't even have a permanent Moon colony yet. Don't you think it's a bit premature to look out towards the stars?

For all the smart techno-babble of how these things could and should be done, nobody's shown any serious interest in them, because the actual challenges that must be overcome are too great to even be worth investing in, at least with the existing technologies.

[Salus Maior]

If we can, I don't see any reason why not.

[Pax Nerdvana]

Humanity doesn't even have a permanent Moon colony yet. Don't you think it's a bit premature to look out towards the stars?

For all the smart techno-babble of how these things could and should be done, nobody's shown any serious interest in them, because the actual challenges that must be overcome are too great to even be worth investing in, at least with the existing technologies.

I would. 'Cept I have very little money and no influence.

[Neuewland]

We definitely should. It would help humans reach a level of power and advancement unparalleled in today's society. We need to try and develop the technologies for this quickly, before the resources on Earth run out.

[Pax Nerdvana]

We definitely should. It would help humans reach a level of power and advancement unparalleled in today's society. We need to try and develop the technologies for this quickly, before the resources on Earth run out.

Exactly my opinion. If we don't do anything, Earth will run out of resources, and we'll all probably die.

[Imperium Sidhicum]

Humanity doesn't even have a permanent Moon colony yet. Don't you think it's a bit premature to look out towards the stars?

For all the smart techno-babble of how these things could and should be done, nobody's shown any serious interest in them, because the actual challenges that must be overcome are too great to even be worth investing in, at least with the existing technologies.

I would. 'Cept I have very little money and no influence.

Well, that's the problem. Until someone else besides sci-fi nerds, somebody who actually matters, shows interest and commits considerable resources, expanding even to other planets, let alone the stars, will remain a thing of sci-fi movies.

Currently, there is just no reason for anybody who matters to seriously invest in space exploration. The costs are exorbitant, and the return next to none. Governments have plenty of other priorities to take care of, meaning government space agencies will only get a small share of the national budget, and private investors have little incentive in investing in a purely-scientific endeavor that might have some commercial benefit some time in the indefinite future, most probably well after the investors' own lifetimes. Simply put, space exploration isn't profitable enough to attract serious investment besides maybe a few eccentric billionaires who invest their own money rather than company funds and are rich enough for success or failure of their investment to not matter much either way.

[Toshavo]

Of course.. well if only we could solve our own problems first..

humans

[Ostroeuropa]

Probably not.
Other planets might be a better idea.

[Peyerij Mond]

Yes, its long overdue.

[Destructive Government Economic System]

If only that was possible. We haven't even set up a permanent Moon base yet.

[Pax Nerdvana]

Lunar and Martian colonies would be the best way to start. Then we go to other systems from there.