Go west … settle space

Abstract

In the year 2169, as we commemorate the 200th anniversary of humans landing on the Moon in 1969, we try to imagine how difficult it was during the early part of the last century as proponents of manned space travel and space settlement found themselves regularly discouraged by the progress they were witnessing. After all, only a few viewed space as a critical avenue for human creativity. It was viewed by many as a “special interest” for those who would find financial benefits as a result of manned space activity.¹ At that time, many problems existed on Earth (when was this not true!). Therefore, many preferred to minimize public expenditures for NASA and space in the U.S. Many teenagers had no interest in a return to the Moon, and roughly a quarter thought that the Apollo landings were faked!