Book excerpt: Have you ever wanted to live in space? To see the majesty of Earth from orbit, to play in a zero-gravity wonderland, and be on the cutting edge of civilization? Such a place may be built sooner than you think. New scientific research, new technological developments, and new social trends are all combining to make settlements in space easier than ever to build.Not long ago Al Globus, a space settlement expert and software engineering contractor at NASA Ames Research Center, made two key scientific discoveries:- that equatorial low earth orbit (ELEO) has vastly lower radiation than most other places in space,- and that humans can adapt to rotating space structures faster than many people thought possible.These discoveries, combined with a fast-developing rocket industry and burgeoning financial and political support for space development, mean that humanity may be on the brink of a building boom in orbit. In a few decades space settlements could vastly improve life on Earth by developing new technologies, unlocking trillions of dollars of raw materials and energy in space, and opening up a new frontier for all humankind.In this fast-paced book learn how your future in space is closer than you think!