Mission to the planet Mars

[Art Mulder]

Years of exhaustive worthless space travel

(emphasis added)

I could not possibly disagree more with the inclusion of that word in that sentence.

[Don Huffer]

(emphasis added)

I could not possibly disagree more with the inclusion of that word in that sentence.

Well I realize we have been told we now have spin off benefits from space travel and I say they would have been far less expensive had we not ventured off on wild goose chases. I also think we would have so much more.

Don

[Pat Barry]

Years of exhaustive worthless space travel and testing haven't found even a smidgin of life. How about we let those that still believe fund the snipe hunt. While the rest of us spend our money on research that actually will produce something, other than colorful pictures and a big bag of rocks. The rocks only cost $13,000,000,000. Must be mighty fine rocks.

Don

I think that we have only just begun to explore and understand the universe. I think its foolhardy to think we are 'alone'. That's the type of thinking that leads to no where. With that exact same form of thought 600 + years ago its unimaginable how we would have developed as a civilization. Funding for projects such as this are absolutely necessary, if for no other reason than we need to know what is out there. We need to know if anything is out there. We can not afford to hide in our shell.

[Brian Ashton]

I think the whole thing is more of an elaborate publicity stunt.

No organisation trying to pull off the most difficult and never achieved idea sends out a (casting) call to the general public for people to travel to Mars - not one. That is! unless you have a book and movie deal in place. Has anyone gone and read the website? After reading it I'd say one things for sure, no ones going anywhere. The whole thing is so cliché. What was that movie with bruce willis and he saves the world from an asteroid...

[Chuck Wintle]

I think that we have only just begun to explore and understand the universe. I think its foolhardy to think we are 'alone'. That's the type of thinking that leads to no where. With that exact same form of thought 600 + years ago its unimaginable how we would have developed as a civilization. Funding for projects such as this are absolutely necessary, if for no other reason than we need to know what is out there. We need to know if anything is out there. We can not afford to hide in our shell.

Pat,

I agree with your train of thought...to imagine and explore new frontiers just like the Star Trek tv series, "to boldly go where no man has gone before". That said it was not too long ago when it was thought that a heavier than air machine could not possibly fly. All the sage and wise men of the day said this was impossible and man was not meant to fly.

[Brian Ashton]

I think that we have only just begun to explore and understand the universe. I think its foolhardy to think we are 'alone'. That's the type of thinking that leads to no where. With that exact same form of thought 600 + years ago its unimaginable how we would have developed as a civilization. Funding for projects such as this are absolutely necessary, if for no other reason than we need to know what is out there. We need to know if anything is out there. We can not afford to hide in our shell.

"600+ years ago it was imaginable how we would have developed as a civilisation..." Go back 4000 years in recorded history and you'll see that things were going quite well for civilisations around the globe. Somewhere along the way a great deal has been lost and or destroyed but the more thats dug up the more it's looking like they were incredibly advanced. The defining difference seems to be the technology used as opposed to the knowledge known.

[Phil Thien]

Depending on relational orbits, Internet latency would be anywhere between four and 24-minutes.

So refreshing this SMC page would take, at a bare minimum, eight minutes. Or up to 48-minutes.

So I'm out.

[Rod Sheridan]

(emphasis added)

I could not possibly disagree more with the inclusion of that word in that sentence.

Agreed........Rod.

[Jon Shank]

The cost thing is definitely a fair argument to have, especially with the financial shape we are in right now. I don't necessarily agree, I think we've gotten some good stuff out of the space program and I think it's a worthwhile goal, but that's not to discount the argument. We could maybe take a break on that along with 90% of the federal budget to get back in better shape.

I will say that at least one of the proposed Mars colonization missions was put forth as a completely private party mission and not using government funds. Not sure if that is the one that began the thread, but there is one of those out there.
Ah, here it is.
http://www.mars-one.com/about-mars-one

Jon

[Myk Rian]

They are just looking for publicity and a reaction. But if you were a space nut and had a terminal illness, maybe.

That's ridiculous.

[Jim Matthews]

Why go to all this trouble when the perfect Smoked Meat sandwich and the World's Greatest Sporting team are right here?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the spinoffs that came from the Space Program.
I'm particularly fond of Tang.

[Jim Matthews]

That, and they'll be drinking recycled pee.

Let's not forget that.

[Shawn Pixley]

I lived in the California dessert for 4 years....Lancaster/Palmdale area. Mars wouldn't be such a big deal.

Having been to Lancaster, you speak the truth.

[Dave Sheldrake]

So are we all Jim 7 times by the numbers

cheers

Dave

[Matt Meiser]

I think its pretty arrogant to assume earth is the only place in the entire universe with life.

So refreshing this SMC page would take, at a bare minimum, eight minutes. Or up to 48-minutes.

And imagine what Hughesnet is going to charge for that!