Responding to Chucky, there is a story by Heinlein (IIRC, I've read a lot of sci fi) about a rich guy with myasthenia gravis who sets up housekeeping in orbit, for the microgravity. He is the inspiration for the term "waldo," i.e. a mechanical manipulator.
Unfortunately, although it is way cool, there really isn't much in the way of scientific or economic justification for the space station either. As for humans on Mars, that's just completely ridiculous. If we can survive the next few years, technology may advance to the point where it's at least feasible, but there's no perceivable reason to do it. I think these fantasies are actually quite dangerous because they lead people to believe that there's an alternative to keeping the planet we have. There isn't. Actually, even after a massive nuclear war, the earth will still be a far better habitat than the moon or Mars, for whatever life is left.
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