Re: GZGL FH - Habitats in Space.

> as i said - silicon wafers, ball bearings and dilithium crystals. you
will
> need space stations to make these, but they strike me as highly
automated
> processes, not requiring much in the way of habitat for support. of
> course, i am not an expert on making dilithium crystals; perhaps it is
a
> manual job?

Metals of higher purity, crystals of sizes you can't grow in a 
gravity well, etc. etc. and you always need people to maintain them. 
Plus its a great spot for university research facilities, which might 
evolve into whole Campuses. I'd love a chance to go to a Uni in 
orbit. 
 
> > 2.	I might need to live in a system for strategic reasons having 
> > nothing to do with resources. 
> 
> put a fleet anchorage or a scientific field station there. maintaining
a
> real civlian population in a system where one is not needed is going
to be
> far too expensive to justify unless the stratgic reasons are *really*
> important.

I'm thinking you have an inhabitable but not very useful world 
(Arrakis minus the spice). It may sit at a strategic point. Might 
therefore act as training ground and chokepoint stopper. So put a big 
marine and Naval base there - not so expensive due to breathable 
atmosphere (maybe plants grow?).
  
> > 3. Some of the inner colonies may have been established with weaker 
> > stardrives which limited options so space stations may have been the

> > only approach. 
> 
> good point. however, i find it a little hard to believe that people
would
> keep living in (and maintaining) old space habitats when earthlike
worlds
> became available.

Hmm. I assume class M (ST terms) planets are not that common. 
Habitable ones, maybe somewhat. But nice, garden-like worlds with 
abundant resources, abundant breathable air, water, and abundant 
consumable plant life? Pretty unlikely (but I'm guessing).  

> don't forget what i said about freeports: these are vital and very
> profitable, so expect lots of space stations with habitat and
commercial
> facilities hanging about in strategically vital systems at the hubs of
> trade networks. and with no flipping ambassadors hanging about getting
in
> the way!

Oh don't count on that. You'll see the major powers making big 
attempts to influence/control these and therefore there might well be 
ambassadors. The attempts might be overt or covert, but they'll 
pressure the freeports.  
 
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