reply
- Feature
- Like
Hells yea, I'm still scared from an alien movie I saw when I was 6. My mom googled Mars for me but it didn't help. 9 years later and I need some closure.
reply
- Feature
- Like
the world needs inspiration - and walking on other planets is a box office favorite .. i am all for it ,
reply
- Feature
- Like
I think that right now, I would prefer all that money and resources went to curing aids and cancer, finding more renewable sources of energy or making the ones that already exist more viable, also helping poor countries. I think that space exploration is great and that it will render amazing discoveries, no doubt about that, but there's too much suffering going on here to be spending that much money on it.
reply
- Feature
- Like
The scientific advances that come with space exploration have many practical applications for the rest of us: employment for a LOT of people;satellite and communication technology; miniaturizing of computers; velcro; medical testing and training; to name a few. We don't know what new things we have to gain until we try. And for the first humans who get to touch the Martian soil -- for their perceptions and recollections -- who can even put a price on that? I say, "Let's do it!"
reply
- Feature
- Like
When we already have habitats in orbit, and colonies on the Moon, and have captured and mined an asteroid, then the cost to going to Mars is much less. Then the benefits outweigh the cost, and since it is a great adventure, we as humans must take it. If our survival depends on being a space-faring species, then the benefit of all of these things are clear. But without? It's not clear.
reply
- Feature
- Like
I think of the technological advancements that came out of meeting the challenge of going to the moon. I remember the positive unifying effect it had on Humanity in general. Even people from "competing nations" would tune in to share the triumphs and help shoulder the tragedies once "the race" mentality was more under control. As for the expense -- I wonder if current military spending would cover it? So funneling that money into exploration would mean we the inhabitants of Earth would finally have to make a lasting peace work. That could be a significant gain for the money spent. Heaven knows that spying on and blasting the bejeebers out of each other for centuries hasn't achieved it -- nor is it likely to achieve it in the future. But I really like what 24hour said below. We really need to get our toxic consumption syndrome under control so we don't munch every other planet we might come to inhabit!
reply
- Feature
- Like
Hmmm a tricky one. Although i think space exploration is one of the number one priorities of the human race, i think we need to get things sorted on our own planet first before we go muching about on another one...
reply
- Feature
- Like
I too would love to see people land on Mars in my lifetime. I read a magazine article by astronaut Buzz Aldrin recently, who is a big advocate of space expansion, and he suggested that when we finally get to Mars, it should be a one way trip. He said that we should create colonies up there and would save a ton of money by sending permanent pioneers rather than simply visitors. It actually sounds like a good plan to me, and while there may be few of them, there are sure to be some that are willing and able to do that. Personally I also think that not only should we continue to send probes, but should also have them build permanent colonies on Mars, the Moon, and even beyond. That way, not only will we have more resources to study the other planets, but when we ourselves finally make it there, we'll have a home. Also, I would like more private attention paid to space tourism. While I'm all for sending a few to the great beyond, I'd like to be able to see the average Joe and Jane be able to make it on an affordable trip. Right now a billionaire with twenty or thirty million to spare can hop onboard a Russian spacecraft and spend a few days on the ISS. Other companies are also working on private spaceships that can make it to orbit. While it may be a really long time before tourists can go to Mars, I hope that when I'm still alive that a person can relatively cheaply go to orbit or even the Moon.
reply
- Feature
- Like
There was a scientist on the Daily Show talking about this the other week. He said something about how we shouldn't be putting people in space when we've got robots that we can send up there for alot cheaper who don't have families at home missing them. So i'm with the scientist- going to mars, cool. Sending a person to mars... not cool. What's the point of sending a person?
reply
- Feature
- Like
No way. Think of the programs in local schools that could be saved if there were no money being spent on figuring out how to land on Mars right now. Right now, teachers, and programs are being cut in public schools and colleges because there is no money for educating our children. When they figure out how to get to Mars, who are they going to send? Our children will be far to under-educated.
reply
- Feature
- Like
