Reasons to colonize planets of another solar system?

In my other question I tried to find out if it makes any sense to colonize other planets or moons instead of just building space stations. The answer I accepted seems very well elaborated to me and confirmed my assumption that, with the technology and resources needed to build even a base on mars (far more on the moon or any other body), it would be easier to build a space station that could house the same amount of people in a controlled (and more paradise like?) environment.

So assume we tried and did everything. We built bases and perhaps colonies where possible on every planet and moon of our solar system. And we also built space station colonies. Perhaps located in the asteroid belt where they built more and more stations from materials of the asteroids. Someday the whole asteroid belt would be converted to space habitats (like a poor man's version of Larry Nivens ring world). This assumes that the asteroids give everything needed for this "self-replication".

Now we discover a stable wormhole or other mechanism that gives us easy access to another solar system, similar to our own, except there is no earth (nearest to earth perhaps something like our mars).

With all that technology, knowledge and experience at hand, what could be reasons to colonize the planets there (instead of just building scientific bases or perhaps some mines and space habitats for living in this system also).

If I find no reasons I will colonize the galaxy in my story with space stations and ignore the planets or use them only for mining of things that couldn't be mined easier in asteroids. Until perhaps a perfect second earth is found.

To make it clear "You can't find material XXX in asteroids and have to mine it on a planet" is just a reason to build a mine base with mass driver there. Not a reason to colonize any planet.

Would the love of adventure (explore a planet, where no man has gone before) or stubbornness ("I want solid ground under my feet") of humans be enough to make them colonize planets under harsh conditions instead to live a simple life on a paradise space station? Or any other reason?

posted almost 8 years ago

Hothie‭

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