Exploration crews do not provide the population or skill base required for settlement. Even a nominal population of ten thousand implies 1,250 eight-person trips, so a colonization system needs much larger ships. Larger ships create more support demands, but settlement cannot avoid that scale. The age-of-sail comparison shows why repair trades, technicians, and practical manufacturing skills matter as much as scientists and engineers when a vessel must sustain itself far from outside help.
Chapter · 10:55-15:44
Colonization needs larger ships and technicians
A sustainable colony needs large ships, repair trades, and technicians; an eight-person exploration craft cannot provide that depth.