Step one is seeing the lightbulb, which is…

The right to claim a reasonable plot of land by possession is as old as humanity. This applies to claimed land, so for unclaimed land (all of space) this right is even more solid. Chain of title, which legally defines ownership, all starts with a claim. This does not require the blessing of any nation.

To give title the force of law the best method is for many people to agree to the terms of a settlement charter which requires possession and limits claims to each individual to a reasonable amount.

To make colonization sustainable, it should be free to the colonists that are risking their lives and include a free spacesuit. To do this the transportation company must be able to make a profit at $100m or less per colonist transported (doable within this decade.) For $40m per colonists, the transportation companies could make a profit selling undeveloped land at $100 per plot (between a half acre to quarter hectare) to speculators on earth that have no intention of ever going to mars. This funds everything at a profit. Today. Other profitable exploits are gravy and then become possible.

The settlement charter, which provides the free ride and space suit, limits the supply of land. To get more land in play, more colonists must be transported.

Defending those claims will be easy once enough colonists participate because it is done by possession.

No nation is going to go to war over it because a few thousand sq. km. is nothing compared to the 144 million sq. km. of unclaimed land available to any others that want their own claim.

Establishing this precedent on mars will establish it for the entire solar system. Mars has the resources for an independent industrial ecology with as little as a few dozen colonists.

Each colonist risking their lives will have the assets to pursue their own happiness for the rest of their lives.

Each transportation company has trillions of dollars in potential profit and many will compete for that.

It just takes a lightbulb.

Bob, maybe something on the right side so this article doesn’t get lost as it moves down each day.

– cb

Step two is getting a parent nation to defend it from other nations.

Step three is making a profit on the new land.This attracts new people.

If we have the biggest colony on the moon we rule the Earth. We will just always have the high ground in any fight after that.

Now do we want to let China gain the high ground or are we willing to go bankrupt winning this race?
As a member of this American nation I am willing to spend it all to make the jump and win the race.
Our children really really need a new goal to reach for. And space is all thats left.

It’s about time individuals understood the over reach of nations in making a claim that the universe is off limits.

People have always had the right to claim that which is unclaimed. All chain of title begins with a claim.

Any claim must of course be defended. It is not required that a nation do the defending.

The best defense is possession of reasonable amounts by many claimants.

This alone pays entirely for our expansion by colonies into space.