The only real reason to leave the solar system is arguably for science and exploration. But to actually make our interstellar dreams a reality, we also need to get serious about interstellar propulsion with solid funding and a willingness to pursue any credible idea to its logical conclusion.
Aside from your candidate losing the election, what other reasons would you have for not only leaving Earth — but the solar system itself? Here are five possible drivers to escape the surly bonds of our own heliopause.
— To search for mineral riches
This one has always spurred humanity and is sparking new interest in expanding beyond low-earth orbit (LEO) and ultimately into the main asteroid belt, for the pursuit of metal alloys or water and volatiles.
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