A truly important and excellent discovery! I also am just as happy over the discovery of water in the deep craters of the south and north poles of the moon. This is not to indicate any form of life ever existed on the moon, but it does offer the opportunity to use the almost limitless resources of this closest body to us for the betterment of the space program. And even for the eventual betterment of getting human beings to Mars for further terrific discoveries!!
There are enough problems and resources at home to manage without trying to work in a completely inhospitable environment. Its interesting scientific research and knowledge, but not something that can be harnessed without first developing a far superior limitless source of energy.
While I like the idea of exploring the universe it does seem a manned Mars mission would be incredibly expensive and dangerous.I think for the time being the money is better spent making our environment better by repairing infrastructure and fixing our educational and medical systems. We will go eventually when the technology advances enough to make it a more practical endeavor.
Amen, Ted. Sending people to Mars is a political goal. Science would much prefer un-manned probes which are safer, far less expense and can accomplish more. The mysteries of Mars can be solved from right here on Earth.
World space agencies should make a long-term investment in the future. Design and send “von Neumann” type machines to Mars to prepare for human habitation..Eventually the situation on Earth will become so bad that it will be necessary to send people outward. It’s the theme of many recent movies, but it’s been the subject of consideration for many years. The von Neumann’s would prepare the way when colonization is needed to continue the human race..The self-replicating machines could also be sent to asteroids, and comets out in areas surrounding the solar system. There are lots of raw materials out there to be processed, each on a small scale but to be consolidated later. The machines would go ahead of us to get things ready..And should humans destroy themselves, those mechanisms might become the only things remaining of human design. Maybe, this has been done before, and going out there the machines will meet their predecessors.
I have to admit that I’m surprised by the number of people, particularly those on the left, who seem to oppose the idea of colonizing Mars. It is true that the technology doesn’t exist now. But then again, it never will if we don’t start developing it. And I understand the concern that we should solve the problems on Earth first. But I would forward that one of the solutions to those problems may be off world colonization. It would certainly help with over population. Honestly, it may be the only humane, realistic solution to solving that issue.
Another thing to consider is technological development. The technology that would need to be developed would also probably have a direct bearing on the problems we face here today. Look at how many practical, world changing technologies we got just from NASA having to develop technology during the Space Race. For this project we would probably have to develop and perfect self sufficient food production, air and water purification systems, really the basics of terraforming. I’m sure some of the more scientifically minded posters can come up with a better list than mine. What I am saying is that it’s more likely such technology would be developed if there were a reason both government and industry can get behind it. Space travel has a pretty proven record of doing that.
As for cleaner power sources, support research into Hydrogen engine technology. From what I’ve read, it’s a goal that might be attainable in our lifetime. And how many of the World’s problems will be solved if we all got off oil?
No less a space scientist than Dr. Wherner von Braun knew that sending just one human occupied space vehicle to such a distant planet as Mars was a recipe for a disaster. Something will almost always go wrong. You know Murphy’s Law, “What can go wrong , will go wrong!” almost guarantees this.
If the astronauts on Apollo 13 had not been in exactly the right place to get them back alive when their space craft had its explosion, they would not have stood a chance! If a single space craft some millions of miles from the Earth had any kind of a problem, then either we back on Earth would never even know what happened, or even worse, get to see some very good people slowly die in the harse elements of inter planetary space. Can anybody even imagine the political circus that would become? To say nothing of just what that would do to the future of human space flight?
However, bringing up the materials from the deep space well of the earth’s gravity would be far too expensive to allow the building of the multiple ships it would reguire, for the kind of redundancy to make a human mission to mars even a doable proposition, let alone have any kind of guarantee of a successful human mission so far from the earth and any actual help!
What is needed to make this happen (even before the end of this century), and even more to develope the kind of true space faring civilization that humanity will need for its long term survival, is to first make travel into low earth orbit far less expensive than it now is. And NASA along with the likes of such as spacex and others are even now working on that!
Next, is to build a space infrastructure between the earth and the moon. and then to not only land on the moon in force, but to use the almost limitless resources of that nearest of large bodies in space to make the exploration of the ourter and inner solar system even a real possibility. While that in itself would be an expensive proposition, some of it could at least be paid for by the development of space tourism, and other enterprizes between the earth and the moon, and eventually upon the moon itself.
Moving out into space in such a manner would eventually be far less expensive, both in monetary and material expenses, and certainly far less certain of killing off some of our best people, than any quick and far more dangerous human trips to mars at this time would be!
While in the meantime, we let our far less expensive, and certainly far more expendable robotic explorers do the initial job of exploration, and even preparing Mars for the human habitation to follow!!
frodo1008 over 8 years ago
A truly important and excellent discovery! I also am just as happy over the discovery of water in the deep craters of the south and north poles of the moon. This is not to indicate any form of life ever existed on the moon, but it does offer the opportunity to use the almost limitless resources of this closest body to us for the betterment of the space program. And even for the eventual betterment of getting human beings to Mars for further terrific discoveries!!
Gypsy8 over 8 years ago
There are enough problems and resources at home to manage without trying to work in a completely inhospitable environment. Its interesting scientific research and knowledge, but not something that can be harnessed without first developing a far superior limitless source of energy.
Theodore E. Lind Premium Member over 8 years ago
While I like the idea of exploring the universe it does seem a manned Mars mission would be incredibly expensive and dangerous.I think for the time being the money is better spent making our environment better by repairing infrastructure and fixing our educational and medical systems. We will go eventually when the technology advances enough to make it a more practical endeavor.
larryrhoades over 8 years ago
Amen, Ted. Sending people to Mars is a political goal. Science would much prefer un-manned probes which are safer, far less expense and can accomplish more. The mysteries of Mars can be solved from right here on Earth.
emptc12 over 8 years ago
World space agencies should make a long-term investment in the future. Design and send “von Neumann” type machines to Mars to prepare for human habitation..Eventually the situation on Earth will become so bad that it will be necessary to send people outward. It’s the theme of many recent movies, but it’s been the subject of consideration for many years. The von Neumann’s would prepare the way when colonization is needed to continue the human race..The self-replicating machines could also be sent to asteroids, and comets out in areas surrounding the solar system. There are lots of raw materials out there to be processed, each on a small scale but to be consolidated later. The machines would go ahead of us to get things ready..And should humans destroy themselves, those mechanisms might become the only things remaining of human design. Maybe, this has been done before, and going out there the machines will meet their predecessors.
warjoski Premium Member over 8 years ago
I have to admit that I’m surprised by the number of people, particularly those on the left, who seem to oppose the idea of colonizing Mars. It is true that the technology doesn’t exist now. But then again, it never will if we don’t start developing it. And I understand the concern that we should solve the problems on Earth first. But I would forward that one of the solutions to those problems may be off world colonization. It would certainly help with over population. Honestly, it may be the only humane, realistic solution to solving that issue.
Another thing to consider is technological development. The technology that would need to be developed would also probably have a direct bearing on the problems we face here today. Look at how many practical, world changing technologies we got just from NASA having to develop technology during the Space Race. For this project we would probably have to develop and perfect self sufficient food production, air and water purification systems, really the basics of terraforming. I’m sure some of the more scientifically minded posters can come up with a better list than mine. What I am saying is that it’s more likely such technology would be developed if there were a reason both government and industry can get behind it. Space travel has a pretty proven record of doing that.
As for cleaner power sources, support research into Hydrogen engine technology. From what I’ve read, it’s a goal that might be attainable in our lifetime. And how many of the World’s problems will be solved if we all got off oil?
Simon_Jester over 8 years ago
Heh, the very week The Martian is set to open in theaters, along comes this news.
Dtroutma over 8 years ago
It’s interesting how many, even in Congress, who think we can terraform and survive on Mars, say humans don’t impact climate, or the Earth.
frodo1008 over 8 years ago
No less a space scientist than Dr. Wherner von Braun knew that sending just one human occupied space vehicle to such a distant planet as Mars was a recipe for a disaster. Something will almost always go wrong. You know Murphy’s Law, “What can go wrong , will go wrong!” almost guarantees this.
If the astronauts on Apollo 13 had not been in exactly the right place to get them back alive when their space craft had its explosion, they would not have stood a chance! If a single space craft some millions of miles from the Earth had any kind of a problem, then either we back on Earth would never even know what happened, or even worse, get to see some very good people slowly die in the harse elements of inter planetary space. Can anybody even imagine the political circus that would become? To say nothing of just what that would do to the future of human space flight?
However, bringing up the materials from the deep space well of the earth’s gravity would be far too expensive to allow the building of the multiple ships it would reguire, for the kind of redundancy to make a human mission to mars even a doable proposition, let alone have any kind of guarantee of a successful human mission so far from the earth and any actual help!
What is needed to make this happen (even before the end of this century), and even more to develope the kind of true space faring civilization that humanity will need for its long term survival, is to first make travel into low earth orbit far less expensive than it now is. And NASA along with the likes of such as spacex and others are even now working on that!
Next, is to build a space infrastructure between the earth and the moon. and then to not only land on the moon in force, but to use the almost limitless resources of that nearest of large bodies in space to make the exploration of the ourter and inner solar system even a real possibility. While that in itself would be an expensive proposition, some of it could at least be paid for by the development of space tourism, and other enterprizes between the earth and the moon, and eventually upon the moon itself.
Moving out into space in such a manner would eventually be far less expensive, both in monetary and material expenses, and certainly far less certain of killing off some of our best people, than any quick and far more dangerous human trips to mars at this time would be!
While in the meantime, we let our far less expensive, and certainly far more expendable robotic explorers do the initial job of exploration, and even preparing Mars for the human habitation to follow!!