Comic #5367: space-3

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Description

Here’s the transcription of the comic text:

Panel 1:

• Person 1: "The economics of space travel were pretty solid."
• Person 2: "Satellite data is booming, space launch is profitable. Tourism is a growth industry in the next decade."

Panel 2:

• Person 1: "But the economics of deep space travel are lousy."
• Person 2: "Mining space isn't worth the trip. Space doesn't contain anything at valuable concentrations; space solar power is more expensive than Earth-based solar power."

Panel 3:

• Person 1: "What's the best reason to go to Mars?"
• Person 2: "Weird rich people want to."
• Person 1: "That may not be sustainable."

Panel 4:

• Person 1: "I consulted with scientists, engineers, mathematicians. We all had variations on the same conversation."
• Person 2: "We'll start with a city on Mars in a decade or so."

Panel 5:

• Person 1: "How?"
• Person 2: "Who pays for that?"

Panel 6:

• Person 2: "Everyone's too optimistic."
• Person 1: "Have you heard of the concept of 'betting markets'?"

Panel 7:

• Sign: “The Space Haters”

Panel 8:

• Person 2: "Anyone who believed in a near-term large human presence in space was given excellent odds."
• Sign: "Bet Menu: 10-Person Moon base in 5 years: 10:1 10-Person Mars base in 5 years: 100:1 20-Person Orbital Factory in 5 years: 1,000:1."

Panel 9:

• Person 1: "Venus is loaded with unmined doubloons."
• Person 2: "Wow! That’s breathtaking! I’m willing to give you infinity to 1 odds."

Panel 10:

• Person 1: "Neil deGrasse Tyson once said the first person to monetize deep space would be the first trillionaire. Technically, he was right."
• Person 2: "Deep space was a zero dollar industry. In 20 years, you’ve made how many dollars?"

Panel 11:

• Person 2: "Of course, there was a downside."
• Person 2: "Mmm… the entire space community is now part bankrupt and sad, and there's nothing more upsetting than a grown man in a novelty space suit weeping."

Panel 12:

• Person 1: "God in heaven…"
• Person 2: "I am hereby announcing my trillion dollars of the money will go toward the creation of the first Martian city!"

Panel 13:

• Person 1: "There were those who said it wasn’t sustainable."

Panel 14:

• Person 2: "But I proved them all wrong."
• Person 2: "Yes, 10,000 on a Mercury base in the next 5 years. I will accept payment in the form of 2 animals of each kind."

This transcription captures the dialogue as accurately as possible.