Humans have already visited the Moon. But how can we stay on other planets for long? Maybe even live there? Current lunar programs aim to establish bases on our celestial neighbour and there are plans for Mars or other planets. Opinions on such projects vary: just a dream, unnecessary, too expensive, too early, the only hope for humanity, an economic opportunity, the new military high-ground, and so on. This book does not claim to predict the future and settle the debate once and for all. Instead, the authors come from different scientific fields and offer a wide range of approaches. Psychology, medicine, engineering, architecture, law, settlement management, security, communications, robotics, planetary science, astronomy and many other disciplines will play a crucial role in realising the ambitious idea of humans settling and thriving on other planets. We hope the reader enjoys discovering the opportunities, dangers and challenges that await humanity in this new endeavour.
The online version of the book is available free of charge and can be downloaded here.
