open market competition finds precious resources on a nearby planet thus developing a colony which leads to a new 'government' set on finding new resources deeper in space at which time friendly space aliens are discovered who help the human race develop unforseen technology that allows travel at the speed of light and can prevent aging thereby allowing the entire universe to be uncovered by humans from the planet earth. just a wild guess.

Vicariously through mechanical and digital means. Humans will be restrained by the weakness of our bodies to this planet or LEO. Travel into zero-gravity environs over extended periods of time causes irreversible damage to the skeleton, muscles, and organs. Those who are foolish enough to try to live in zero-gravity will discover they are unable to procreate due to lack of protection from cosmic radiation.

Eventually, humans will realize this is the only planet we have and we should protect it and ourselves. We will send devices and robots to mine, inspect, explore, and discover the rest of the universe while we in our feeble bodies are left here on the Earth.

Such is the lot of mortal human flesh.

It will start with agricultural bases on the moon and Mars then when the pressure of dwindling resources really starts to bite on the Earth, expeditions will start to mine the near earth objects. This will probably last for a long time ending with more bases to the moons of the gas giants then ultimately to biology-free interstellar travel e.g. our minds cloned inside machines.

What's colonise?

comment deleted by satan