Dr. Plata is a physician and public health specialist in Loma Linda, CA. His undergraduate degree was in biophysics and he went on to complete his MD and MPH with specialty training in Family and Preventive Medicine. His primary interest in space is the development of a cost-effective transportation to the Moon based upon lunar polar ice for propellant and the establishment of humanity's first permanent foothold off Earth.  A description of this Plan for Sustainable Space Development can be found at DevelopSpace.info. He has founded a new type of free-to-join space advocacy organization called the Space Development Network which can also be found at DevelopSpace.info.