So over on the "Alternate History" forums (https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/how-early-could-we-get-interplanetary-spaceflight.454400/) we have a discussion going on about possible 'ways' to have an extended and expanded Space Program with early and sustained Interplanetary Travel to which I've been pointing out in our world ("Our Time Line" or OTL in the lingo) even the rather obvious possibility of species death and planetary mass extinction wasn't really 'incentive' enough to get that effect. Now let me say that one of the FIRST things that caught my eye from Kerbin orbit was the "BDC" (Big-Dang-Crater) on the surface but since they added asteroids I have to ask why in Squad's sake do you put an inhabited planet on the inner side of an Asteroid belt?
I'd never really payed close attention, (and can't seem to load my screenpic) but I'm already (turned on object tracking and spent a couple minutes at x1000 speed 'cause i was curious) and I've already collected a couple new moons and several near misses and they still keep coming! Kerbals have LOADS of incentive to get into space and astronamers must take antacids by the truck load!
Randy