[FPSPACE] Last Few Hours in History of Unmanned Space?

[JamesOberg@aol.com]

Last Few Hours in History of Unmanned Space?

If ISS succeeds over the next few years, and other small and large platforms 
are established in 10-20 years by other entities both governmental and 
commercial, continuous human presence beyond Earth may become a perpetual 
state. As I type these words, these may be the last few moments in the 
history of this planet when all earthborn life was restricted to Earth 
itself. Building a permanent space station may be THAT significant, and is 
one more reason to wish the project well. What brought us this far is "runway 
behind us" and arguments over routes and strategies is a subject for future 
historians. It's what ahead of us -- if we're clever and bold enough -- that 
needs concentration on at this hour. 

Jim Oberg
www.jamesoberg.com
Houston, Texas
October 30, 2000