Before the Space Shuttle was created, it was necessary to plan trips into space several years in advance. However, for the rest of the century it should be possible to make space flight every week for so. Any scientists or engineer needing to travel into orbit will simply take the next Shuttle flight, stay as long as necessary, and then return at his or her convenience.

It is difficult to imagine the immense opportunities created by the Shuttle. One of the great advantages of having a reusable is that it can take one load after another into orbit. Very large space stations could not be launched in they’re complete form directly from Earth, but they could be built piece by piece in space. The Space Shuttle is likely to be used as a general ‘workhorse’ for the rest of this century, and the building of such stations in orbit should become commonplace.

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Once these huge orbiting stations are completed, they are likely to become the platforms from which hundred of robot space ships could be launched cheaply and easily to explore the solar system and start mining operations on the moon. The technology needed for this is already developed and available. And because of commercial and military pressures to develop space technology, it’s likely that the governments will be increasingly willing to start extensive programs of space engineering, exploration and research.

One future development could be the setting up of completely artificially constructed space colonies. According to a number of growing experts, it is already technically feasible to construct a pioneering space colony, powered by solar energy. The colony would be self-sufficient, and would also allow its inhabitants to conduct further space engineering projects and build more colonies as they are needed. The space colony is capable of supporting ten thousand humans could be set up well before the turn of the century.

The materials for such a colony would have to be shipped up from the Earth using the Space Shuttle. Further space colonies, which could house up to ten million people each, could be constructed during the early part of the twenty-first century. These would not be made from Earth materials, but would get they’re raw materials from the moon.

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