The city completed the 19th Century, not as a wilderness outpost, but as an integral part of the American civilization. For those who would lift the veil on the future fate of the International Space Station, I would recommend a visit to Idaho to soak in its vast empty spaces, observe its communication networks and see for themselves what has become of the town sparked by the founding of Fort Boise. The real-life solution to an imponderable is never easy. The establishment of a human civilization in space is no exception. For those who wish a smooth transition from terrestrial to orbital society, seek it in literature.
Real life is rife with mistakes, miscalculations, corruption and plain bad luck.
This we have seen in plenty in the development of the space station. The greater the problem, the greater the ordeal to find a solution. Considering the climb to LEO is no less a change in environment than descending from the trees to the African plains, we can expect the ride to get much rougher. We are in the midst of an epic change in human civilization. As years pass, the move to space will be put on a par with Columbus' discovery of the New World and will eventually eclipse it in the annals of significant human events.