quote author=TopHat link=topic=113434.msg3505999#msg3505999 date=1344291503]
Now that I think of it, there are a few more problems:
1: how to persuade the entire Bay12 community to join funds and leave the planet.
2: how to convince the world we are not a threat (until the big reveal)
3: logistics. The journey to mars at our current tech levels will take roughly 200 days each way.
Not to mention the vast amount of people involved, the food for the aforementioned, and livestock, and food for the livestock, and farming equipment, and mining equipment, and space suits, and air, and soul-harvesting machines, and base-building stuff, and an anvil, and.... Etc. the more we bring, the heavier/larger the ship will be, the more fuel we need, the more air we'll need. We'll also have to plan for a return journey.
An alternative would be necroing the thread for a few years until we have better space travel, but it will leave the gap open for someone else to sneak in.
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Those problems are still real. I've also had another idea:
Step 1: set up a mining base on an asteroid. (mid-large)
Step 2: when asteroid dry of materials/minerals, hollow it out.
Step 3: reinforce shell (to protect against radiation)
Step 4: two options now.
Step 4 a) fit engines on it. Big engines. Convert inside to living space.
Step 4 b) ditto, but instead of living space, arm the thing. (bonus points for using a stupendously large weapon.
Step 5 a) you now have a fully mobile colony.
Step 5 b) you now have one massive warship.
Step 6: (all) ?
Step 7: Profit!
Step 8: repeat with moon.
Other examples: waterstroid (a massive ocean for fishing), bombstroid (guess) and as many more as you can think of.