Space Travel, the Final Frontier

In India, when we have not yet figured out how to travel safely from Delhi to Kolkata, the rich and famous of the world are planning space travel. Australian billionaire, Sir Richard Branson, has started a company – Virgin Galactic, that will take tourists into space for 200, 000 dollar, close to one crore rupees. Travellers will experience weightlessness for 6 min. There is plan to construct a hotel that would orbit around the earth. A currency has been proposed for intergalactic trade.

Very soon, may be by next century, people may regularly travel to space. A big space ship, like Star Ship Enterprise, may be exploring different parts our our solar system, our galaxy and other galaxies. Like Eurpoean settlers, who colonized Asia, Africa, Americas, Australia, Earthians may colonise distant planets, say Moon, Neptune, Pluto and other distant planets in this and neighboring galaxies. This time, countries. like india and China, with active space program. may also participate. Colonied will become colonisers. Wealthy Earthians may buy a farmhouse in say Jupiter or Pluto or Neptune or Mars. 

All this may happen sooner than later. People with money and power, but unable to enforce their will in a democracy because of inadequate number, may like to create a homogeneous society again. Businessmen, like Mittals, Agarwals, Ambanis, Birlas, may mine moon or other planets for minerals and natural gas. Each can acquire a planet each for their business ventures. Away from Earth, rules and regulations, green laws may not apply. In Pluto, where one Pluto-year is equivalent to 84 Earth-years, BPO companies may open call centres. Imagine, how much work one can get done in a day and in an year..

Imagine, planned cities, no garbage, no traffic jam, no pollution, no poor and hungry. Every one will have enough space, no parking problem. University admission will not be an issue. Kids may apply to inter galatic University, in distant Andromeda galaxy. Who cares about Delhi University or IITs?

May be space travel will be as cheap as travelling to US. Make My Trip or Go Ibibo or Yatra may offer package tour of eight planets in fifteen days. Will it not be fun to sip your coffee and watch 67 moons of Jupiter! It will be a photographers delight and poets dream come true!

A few hitch, what will happen if our appliances, like TV, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, computer etc. breakdown? On say our drains get choked or toilet do not work? Which will invariably happen in Indian colonies. May be people from less developed countries will be allowed work permit as helping hand to do the manual jobs?

Earthians will take with them same old attitude, same prejudice, same set of beliefs. Everything will remain the same, only difference will be a different planet will become earth like.