 | |
| Author | Marshall T. Savage |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Keith Spangle |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Space Colonization Advocacy |
| Genre | Futurology |
| Publisher | Little, Brown and Company |
Publication date | 1992 and1994 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 508 pp |
| ISBN | 0-316-77165-1 |
| OCLC | 30319063 |
| 629.4 20 | |
| LC Class | TL795.7 .S28 1994 |
The Millennial Project: Colonizing the Galaxy in Eight Easy Steps by Marshall T. Savage is a book (published in 1992 and reprinted in 1994 with an introduction byArthur C. Clarke) in the field ofexploratory engineering that gives a series of concrete stages the author believes will lead to interstellar colonization. Many specific scientific and engineering details are presented, as are numerous issues involved inspace colonization.
Savage takes aMalthusian view of theexponential growth of humanpopulation and life in general, and also recommends the exponential growth ofblue-green algae forsustenance. He states that it is humanity's destiny to colonize every star in the galaxy. He draws heavily on theFermi paradox (briefly stated as, "If there is intelligent life in space, why haven't we found it yet?") to support his position that it is humanity's burden alone to ignite the universe with the "spark of Life."InThe Millennial Project, he calls for the creation of an international foundation to realize these goals. Originally known as theFirst Millennial Foundation (founded by Savage in 1987), the organization changed its name to the Living Universe Foundation.
The "Eight Easy Steps" proposed by Savage are as follows:
In the early stages of the Project, Savage recommendsSpirulina algae as a primary foodstuff, supplemented by seafoodmariculture from the cities of the Aquarius phase.
The Living Universe Foundation, previously known as the First Millennial Foundation, is anorganization that supportsocean andspace colonization more or less based upon the bookThe Millennial Project. Space Environments Ecovillage in Bastrop, Texas, is one of the few LUF projects that have materialized so far.
The book has drawn some criticism in that while it is replete with details concerningOTEC construction andspace colonization, it touches very little on the subject of howgovernments and societies will need to change to enact the Project. Defenders and the author himself[5] maintain that one man writing one book cannot be expected to write out the entire course of human development over the next millennium.
