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E.T.-ASTORIA? I saw this linked at Instapundit last week and got a chuckle out of it.

It’s a great idea, but it’s funny frequently it pops up and yet no one ever does anything with it. Sure, there are problems with using spent ETs for space stations or hotels (the foam debris, for one thing), but there’s really nothing there that couldn’t be solved with a bit of money.

And that, of course, is the key: no one with the money is interested or willing to pay for the changes.

With Shuttle expected to fly until 2020 at least, there is still plenty of time for some motivated entrepreneur to have a go at what Buzz suggests. But something to keep in mind: when Shuttle stops flying, the tanks stop rolling off the assembly line, and reinstating (or worse, resurrecting) the ability to produce ET-derived structures gets a whole lot more expensive. If someone is going to finally make use of the concept, the sooner they do it, the better.