TMT Work to Resume Says Ige!

[kalakoa]

The single most important scientific endeavor of our age is the precise location and characterization of potentially habitable

If "we" can't build the TMT, I doubt we'll be able to build the starship to take us off this planet -- just imagine the protests.

Visiting the moon and mars are irrelevant sideshows.

The moon is hostile enough, and close enough, that it would make for excellent training, research, development. Like camping in the backyard before backpacking through Tibet.

You cannot simply go from star to star at random.

You could hollow out an asteroid, and colonies like this are more feasible given the current lack of long-term planning.