Man on Mars by 2024?

[Grandliseur]

Everything that goes into space travel requires research and development that benefits science and technology all around, and thinking long term, will help with the expanding population generations down the road.

I have nothing against going exploring. But, when we are drowning in plastic waste that destroys our oceans, etc. - I think it is wrong to play the playboy and ignore what must be fixed here first.

 

[Revoltingest]

Whether it's SpaceX, America or the North Korean's, man will go to Mars and start a colony there. It is inevitable. That said, it makes far more sense to establish a colony on the moon first. We would learn much from that endeavor that would make the Mars project a little less difficult.

Your practicality & being mired down in reality is so boring.

 

[Revoltingest]

I have nothing against going exploring. But, when we are drowning in plastic waste that destroys our oceans, etc. - I think it is wrong to play the playboy and ignore what must be fixed here first.

It ain't like not spending money on the Mars debacle would mean we'd use it
to improve our suffering environment here. But I've a compromise to offer....
Instead of those spendy manned (& now womanned too) missions, pursue
NASAs program of "faster better cheaper" unmanned (& unwomanned) missions.
At a much lower cost & risk, programs like Cassini & LIGO give us more knowledge.

 

[David T]

Elon Musk has proposed to send two cargo ships to Mars in 2022, followed by a manned mission in 2024 as the first settlers for a Martian colony. They would then construct a fuel plant to begin the Colony.

Elon Musk is officially sending humans to Mars in 2024

If you want the full presentation its about 40 minutes long:

Spoiler

Any thoughts? Any sudden childish urge to play with rocket ships and space lasers?

I encourage the mass exodus of humanity off earth. It's tired, messy, and really we have way to much nature it's an real pain. On Mars we can build an entire building completely self contained like one glorious office mall building where every aspect is controlled by us without the sloppy mess of nature. There would be a few unfortunate souls that would have to be left behind. I of course would sacrifice myself to that cause. I am willing to volunteer to not go but stay here and play janitor just like Walle.

 

[Quetzal]

Everything that goes into space travel requires research and development that benefits science and technology all around, and thinking long term, will help with the expanding population generations down the road.

Further, if we speak in dollars, investment in aerospace technologies has had a consistently high return.

 

[Quetzal]

At a much lower cost & risk, programs like Cassini & LIGO give us more knowledge.

The nature of Cassini's mission is much different than planetary exploration on the ground. A better comparison would be the rovers on Mars vs a manned mission. Bad news is that our best rovers are incredibly inefficient.

 

[Revoltingest]

The nature of Cassini's mission is much different than planetary exploration on the ground. A better comparison would be the rovers on Mars vs a manned mission. Bad news is that our best rovers are incredibly inefficient.

A better comparison, yes.
Rovers are quite efficient when one looks at relative cost & risk.
One manned mission would cost far far more than 2 rovers.
If the former fails, it breaks all the eggs in one basket.
But if one rover fails, there's a back-up.
And even a replacement mission is relatively cheap.
(Caution: We must ensure there's no V'ger scenario.)

Add to all this that advances in AI will make unmanned probes
increasingly capable. But humans aren't undergoing any improvements.
The nature of space exploration will change because of this.
We must avoid being seduced by Star Trekkian notions of
easy, safe, comfortable, cost-conscious-free space tourism.

But if Mars is the goal, I agree that lengthy experience on a Moon
base should be the baby step.

 

[PureX]

Elon Musk has proposed to send two cargo ships to Mars in 2022, followed by a manned mission in 2024 as the first settlers for a Martian colony. They would then construct a fuel plant to begin the Colony.

Any thoughts? Any sudden childish urge to play with rocket ships and space lasers?

I wish our leading scientists and inventors would think about ways of increasing peace and cooperation for the betterment of all, here on Earth, first, before trying to venture beyond it. Because all we are at the moment is kind of parasitic virus, looking to infect and exploit new worlds before we completely poison destroy the one we're on.

 

[Quetzal]

A better comparison, yes.
Rovers are quite efficient when one looks at relative cost & risk.

I agree. Our differences came in that I was defining efficiency in time/tasks accomplished.

Add to all this that advances in AI will make unmanned probes
increasingly capable. But humans aren't undergoing any improvements.
The nature of space exploration will change because of this.

I am in favor of continuing investment in probes and rovers, I think that is a sound investment as well.

We must avoid being seduced by Star Trekkian notions of
easy, safe, comfortable, cost-conscious-free space tourism.

Uh oh... don't tell that to Jeff!
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin Plans to Launch Tourists into Space by April 2019

 

[VioletVortex]

There better places to explore IMO. Some of the Jovian moons contain either surface or subterranean oceans that seems more likely to host simple life.