I’m sure there are a few hurdles, but wondering what is the biggest reason that keeps us back at this moment as the most pressing thing. Is it that the technology just isn’t there yet? Or is it because of legal complications, international treaties and all that? Is it just not financially feasible to do at this present time with the technology we do have? That we could do it, in theory, but the ROI is too low?
Surface-to-intrasolar-space propulsion technology, in its current iteration, to reach escape velocity is prohibitively expensive.
Currently, we use combustion. My instincts tell me that an “electro-gravitic” paradigm in propulsion is next.
Before that, we must have a revolutionary breakthrough or discovery in our fundamental understanding of physics.
Basically, we’re not smart enough and too low on the Kardashev scale to get a decent ROI on such an endeavour.