Survival
If travel in near-Earth space is dangerous, the hazard increases the farther away from our home planet we travel. Near Earth, the hazards are primarily the lack of atmosphere and the temperature extremes. Greater distances mean longer exposure to the high radiation present which cannot be shielded against.
Travel between the planets can become possible if we can go fast enough to keep our exposure low. We will need to use other forms of protection for the long trips between the stars ... or for living between the stars.
One possible strategy would be to make the trip from star to star as silicon entities, immune to the radiation and the extreme accelerations required to reach near-light speeds ... or having a very long life if a slower trip becomes necessary, as with some form of light sail craft. Craft that sail using the power of light, piloted by silicon beings, could be small enough to be produced economically and in large quantities. Upon arrival at a suitable new world, our silicon descendents could construct more conventional bodies to inhabit it.
The alternative is to sit here on this fragile planet until it kills us or until it is destroyed, us with it.
There will be mishaps along the way, but we've got to pack up and move along.
Comments (2)
I've heard it said most accidents happen within twenty-five miles of home. Of cours that number may be variable, like urban legends, but we may extrapolate from that there is a "safe" zone somewhere. *smile*
Most accidents do happen within 25 miles of home. Of course, there are statistical reasons for that (one is within 25 miles of home more often than one is not), but also people get careless close to home in the errant belief that proximity and familiarity equals security or even immunity.