/sci/ - Science & Math

>>5774253
Because it's not a question of either/or.
We'll probably build both. As well as asteroid bases like the NOPLANETSfags want.
And the venerean cloud cities.

Most people in these threads seem to assume that if we do one thing, we will do ONLY that one one thing and nothing else. But all larger bodies in the system have some characteristics that will attract different kinds of people and industries.

Things that are more conveniently done at the bottom of a gravity well, within atmosphere, will be done on planets. Things that are more conveniently done in microgravity and/or vacuum, will be done on the Moon or at the Belt or other asteroids.

I doubt we'll make large fully artificial habitats akin to Island 1&2 due to limits in material strength and vulnerability. Unless some very significant strides are made in materials science and radiation protection, I'd expect outposts no larger than a couple hundred meters to be the maximum.