The Cost: Even with all the great strides that today’s commercial aerospace companies have made, the cost to get material to space is still above $1,000 per 1Kg. The realm of moving large foundries and manufacturing operations into Low Earth Orbit is out of reach for all but the ultra rich.

The Resources: Even with all the vast material freely floating in the reach of mankind’s grasp, there’s no plan on where to put it or how to refine it. The idea of wrangling an asteroid or salvaging spent rockets and end-of life satellites sounds great. But you must first catch them, then bring them back to an accessible area, then mine/break-down the materials, refine them into usable substances, and deliver to customers on Earth or in space. Without the existence of a pre-established industrial facilities, where is all of this going to take place?

The Energy: from induction ovens to automated robotics, the energy cost of functioning is astronomical (pun intended). Solar power is clearly the answer, but if it is converted to electricity, it needs to be stored in heavy batteries or capacitor banks. (see problem 1)