PERMANENT operates for the following purposes:

• Publicize information and issues regarding space resources so that individuals and the public can move forward in an informed way

• Serve as an organized and comprehensive guide to all known resources and all known entities involved in space resources in a significant way, without regard to their political alliances, ideologies, and beliefs, either individually or institutionally, and covering all resources and arguments (albeit often embedded way down in the appropriate sub-sub-sup topic) in an objective and balanced way

• Reduce repeated discussions and prevent "reinvention of the wheel" -- look in PERMANENT before going forward with your work

• Suggest useful ways that institutions and individuals can allocate their resources, so that they get the best results with their resources and help us progress towards space resources utilization in substantive ways

• Help businesses succeed in developing space resources and grow

• Attract investors to PERMANENT

• Attract individuals of many kinds who are willing to help PERMANENT, and suggest useful and substantive ways they can help if they don't already have a particular thing they want to do

If you are seriously willing to become an individual or institution of this pivotal generation of mankind to help us get off our lonely planetary cradle, then you will need to make a decision and follow through on your decision.

We suggest you do one or both of the following:

1. Do something useful for PERMANENT

2. Buy the book for US$28.50, and/or

Those people from countries with weak currencies or weak earning power (e.g., Russia, India, Thailand), for whom US$28.50 is a large sum of money can get the book free of charge if they perform a sufficiently useful service. Notably, we also utilize "offshore design" where we can, e.g., solicit skills & minds for mining, and strive for multinational space development (not an arrogance-of-power or -money USA monopoly as some have contended). However, you must give before you take - no "passive-aggressive" manipulation-by-the-have-nots, the other extreme.

PERMANENT has received no government funding, hasn't solicited any, nor does it plan to. Government won't make it happen, now that there aren't significant enemies in space. (We just want governments and their entrenched privileged interests to stay out of the way. Scientific payloads from govt. money are quite welcome, but not with political strings attached.) This is entirely private sector, as it can and should be now that we have all the technology we really need, thanks to taxpayer gov't funding in general to date. The next step of large scale space development can and should be supported by money from investors, services and products for consumers. Science and one nation's defense won't get us much further, nor should NASA/gov't sell services and products. Also think about international security, and benefits to Earth's environment. If you have questions, see our government & private sector § 7, as well as our section on Earth benefits.

Some of us have lived like contemporary monks to focus time and energy on laying the groundwork for this initial stage. Otherwise you wouldn't have this here. It's never stagnated like many other websites, and never will, but realistically, the rate of its development will depend on additional support -- monetary and/or inputs of time & effort.

As one owner of an investment firm was quoted in the press, they would never invest in a business whose principals said they'd quit their fulltime jobs if we put in money -- they're not real entrepreneurs. You don't get paid to lead, you get paid to follow (except by shareholders/investors). Leaders take broader risks. All new long-term technological and business frontiers are considered fringe; if they were widely accepted in the mainstream then they wouldn't be ground-level opportunities with enough leverageable value.

Do the right thing. Support free enterprize development of space resources and colonization, support PERMANENT, and/or get involved substantively. "If you aren't part of the solution, then you are part of the problem." Just make the decision to lighten up your pioneer spirit, rise above your local environment, and create a change for the betterment of all on Earth and a better life in the next frontier. It's a decision you and we won't regret on our death beds. You aren't young & energetic forever, nor do you live forever.

Our generation is a pivotal one in the geological history of life from planet Earth. Either we will get off the planetary cradle into self-sufficient space colonies, or nano-bio-technology will destroy all of us. It's a hard, inevitable reality of technology and life, and there's no chance for 20/20 hindsight. We need survivors in space. We must make bring this about.

The first space race was between the nuclear superpowers. The second space race is between multinationals. But the most important space race over all time is against technology to destroy mankind and life on Earth. You can't stop things like this, but you can transcend them.

You DO have the power to make a better future for your children, yourself, and life from Earth. Go on the historical record for this time as one who was part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Let's save life from Earth by making astronomical profits in the next business frontier, as colleagues and contractors to each other, sustainably and independently from those who would slow us down.

All the best,
The PERMANENT team