Setting Jam: Hyperbolic Trajectory

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by (E)

The nascent governing body of Mars (specifically Cedric Nelson) has developed a enough of a legal system where immigrants can own land on Mars by occupying an area for a year and a day (as well as a some other conditions)

Originally Posted by TGLS

What's something common now that's rare in-universe?

Freehold real estate for sale. Over the past five centuries, freehold real estate fell out of fashion, replaced by renting and leasehold real estate. When many modern stations are constructed, there are no or almost no freehold properties sold. With the sale of the last lands on the moon about one hundred years ago, the idea of owning a house to pass down to ones children has fallen out of reach of most people.

These two seem to be at odds: freehold real estate is very rare, yet land on Mars is being parceled out in a very "freehold" manner.

To resolve it, some new questions:

What are public feelings about Cedric Nelson's free land scheme? Is he seen as a radical pushing private ownership of land? Is this a publicity stunt? Or is it just eccentric and people figure the land will all be sold off after the year is over?

How are wealthy people and entities planning to subvert this plan?

Why is it unknown if the missions to nearby stars managed to successfully colonize the planets, if probes were able to report useful information?

This is not an answer, but I was answering vaguely from an author perspective, not from an in-universe perspective... but I guess we can roll with it!