Wikipedia:WikiProject Space Colonization

Purpose
This is a WikiProject meant to organize and coordinate development of Wikipedia entries on aspects of space colonization, terraforming, planetary engineering, and other subjects related to the medium and long term future of humans in space.

In particular, this project will aim to provide well-sourced technical detail on these entries, drawing from the wide body of scientific and engineering research and commentary, with an emphasis on sources in peer-reviewed scientific literature; and providing context in terms of the idea of colonizing these planets in literature and the arts and as a subject of anthropological, cultural and sociological interest.

Scope
This project is focused on human colonization of space. It is not intended to cover robotic space exploration or historical manned spaceflight, or future activity analogous to historical manned spaceflight, i.e. minimal orbital space station or brief excursions to explore the Moon. Its scope begins with plans for more elaborate, hotel or hab type orbital space stations capable of permanent occupation by more than a handful of people at a time, and with plans for more elaborate human lunar expeditions capable of keeping humans on the Moon for months at a time. The scope goes up from there, to include human missions to Mars, up through terraforming, Dyson spheres, the Kardashev scale, etc.

It's important while working on this project to keep in mind Wikipedia policy: ''It is appropriate to report discussion and arguments about the prospects for success of future proposals and projects or whether some development will occur, provided that discussion is properly referenced. It is not appropriate for an editor to insert their own opinions or analysis, because of Wikipedia's prohibition on original research.'' Please keep that in mind while working on the articles.

Recommended sources

 * Ad Astra
 * Books written by Robert Zubrin
 * Books edited by Robert Zubrin
 * Journal of the British Interplanetary Society
 * Mars Artists Community
 * Martyn J. Fogg: References
 * NASA Headquarters Library: Space Colonization
 * The Planetary Report
 * The Mars Society

List of articles needing work

 * Colonization of the Moon&mdash;merge lunar ark into this article (March 2008)
 * Colonization of the outer solar system&mdash;citations needed (February 2007)
 * Colonization of Titan&mdash;This one article out of the Colonization collection may be approaching a consensus to merge with Outer Solar System, at least for the time being. See discussion. (May 2006)
 * Planetary Society&mdash;relate subject to space colonization (October 2008)
 * Terraforming&mdash;nearing FAC (February 2006)
 * John Logsdon&mdash;relate subject to space colonization (October 2008)
 * Intergalactic travel&mdash;relate subject to space colonization (October 2008)
 * Space and survival&mdash;I'm almost considering a merge request with this article. It's short enough to be merged into Space colonization.  Chadlupkes 20:13, 13 May 2006 (UTC)
 * Louis Friedman&mdash;relate subject to space colonization (October 2008)

For references with some overlap with this project, see Category:Space stubs and Category:Space colonization.

List of subjects needing new entries

 * Apogee Books Space Series

Rationale
This Wikiproject was born out of the debate at Articles for deletion/Colonization of Mercury on the proposed deletion of Colonization of Mercury, and alternately of several other space colonization entries.

Tools

 * Main tool page: toolserver.org


 * Reflinks - Edits bare references - adds title/dates etc. to bare references
 * Checklinks - Edit and repair external links
 * Dab solver - Quickly resolve ambiguous links.
 * Peer reviewer - Provides hints and suggestion to improving articles.