The Living Universe Foundation’s ultimate goal is to ensure the long term survival of life in this universe. Humanity is the only known species capable of realizing this goal, so it is up to us to bear this great burden. In order to achieve this objective, a roadmap consisting of eight phases has been developed.
There are hundreds of Space Advocacy organizations trying to encourage mankind to expand beyond Earth. What sets the Living Universe Foundation apart is our vision, which is not limited to a single mission, a single destination, or a single technology. We have a comprehensive vision and constantly evolving plan to expand life beyond Earth to the rest of the Milky Way Galaxy.
This vision and plan was first articulated with the publication of “The Millennial Project: Colonizing the Galaxy-In 8 Easy Steps” by Marshall T. Savage and illustrated by Keith Spangle. You can still find copies of this monumental work on Amazon.com and Albris.
An update to the original book has been under development as a collaborative enterprise on Wikia.com, using the same software infrastructure as Wikipedia. Our Visionary At-Large Eric Hunting has been doing most of the work. The following is a basic description of the 8 steps needed to expand life beyond Earth and into the Milky Way.
Foundation
Develop an organization capable of uniting humanity to realize all future phases.
Foundation is the starting phase of the The Millennial Project. It’s objective is to establish a social and economic infrastructure upon which subsequent phases are based by communicating TMPs vision of the future to the global society, rallying those inspired by it to concerted action, developing the financial and industrial systems needed to accomplish it, and establishing the initial physical communities and facilities to host them. It is also the starting point of a cultural transformation intended to evolve the current dominant western culture and civilization into something more functionally suited to the concerted development of space and a more sustainable way of life on Earth. Foundation’s primary tools for accomplishing these objectives are three institutions; the Foundation Community Network, Foundation Media, and the Foundation CIC.
Aquarius
Establish floating cities to stabilize the world and prepare for space colonization.
Aquarius is TMP’s “sea phase”. The phase of marine colonization preceding the concerted development of space settlement, utilizing the ocean’s vast reserves of renewable energy while cultivating both the infrastructure and culture needed to establish a permanent presence in space. No other phase in Marshal Savage’s original TMP embodies its overall theme more completely, or with more overt symbolism, than Aquarius. It is the key concept making TMP stand apart from all other space development schemes.
Bifrost
Construct a bridge to space.
Bifrost is the phase where higher and higher volumes of material are transmitted both from the surface of the Earth outwards and from space inwards to the Earth’s surface. Economies of scale and the economic pressure of needing easy access to locations above the atmosphere will continue to push the development of ships and craft that can get us there. Biforst will be a continuing program for launch systems and space transportation development culminating in renewable energy powered transport such the Space Elevator, and even multiple elevators scattered along the equator that will enable us to put more and more people, materials and facilities into orbit and beyond.
Asgard
Establish dynamic habitats orbiting Earth.
The Asgard phase of TMP2 represents the first foray of civilization into space, the first attempt to permanently settle space, focusing on the Near Earth System; the region between Earth and Lunar orbits. Through Asgard TMP2 would establish the basic infrastructure, transportation systems, and habitation techniques with which the solar system as a whole would be developed.
Avalon
Build protected eco-systems and communities on the moon and Mars.
The Avalon phase of TMP2 concerns the settlement of the natural lunar and planetary bodies of the solar system, with the Moon and Mars leading in development priority as other bodies in the solar system represent far greater challenges to settlement based on distance and environment. However, should settlement beyond these initial two bodies prove practical they will likely employ some variation of the same settlement strategy, with the addition of adaptations to more extreme conditions or perhaps some attempts at geoengineering.
Elysium
Terraform another planet to create a second habitable planet in our solar system.
The Elysium phase of TMP2 concerns recreating the environmental conditions of our planet of origin, Earth, on other worlds, most notably Mars. We can contain atmosphere, simulate gravity and recreate many of the aspects of Earth life in orbit around the planets but we recognize the driving need that many people will have to see a sunrise and walk along a river bed. These kinds of experiences can be simulated, but only imperfectly. It will take a massive effort to fully terraform a planet like Mars sufficiently to enable water to flow and trees to grow. That’s Elysium.
Solaria
Transmute the substance of our solar system.
Solaria is the culmination of the history of terrestrial civilization. The Solar Civilization. The completion of mankind’s evolution from a terrestrial organism to an inhabitant of the cosmos.
Galactia
Colonize the stars.
The final phase of The Millennial Project is it’s most ambitious and speculative. The ultimate human adventure; the settlement of the stars and the cultivation of a galactic civilization. So great a task is this that we anticipate it to require the concerted efforts of the whole solar-system-spanning Solarian civilization just to begin it, enlisting organic human and transhuman intellect alike.