[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by MDLNB

"NO" because it is not habitable for humans, UNLESS you can live without oxygen and survive the cold. You are better off building a habitat under the ocean than on Mars. Just remember that any emergency assistance is about 9 months away....if you are lucky. On the other hand, what the private sector does is none of my business. What the gov does with taxpayer money IS our business and they spend frivolously as it is. In my opinion, if we are serious about migration to Mars, we should first use unmanned equipment to make the planet habitable, before sending humans on one way suicide missions. Let the private sector fund the experiment.

If the private sector funds it, then you will be looking at billboards in the sky.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by rustyp

Because we will either pollute it or turn it into a golf course - probably both.

So, in other words, the answer is yes (to golf, not pollution)

[rustyp]

Originally Posted by MDLNB

"Should Earthlings travel to and inhabit Mars?"

NO

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

why not???

Originally Posted by rustyp

Because we will either pollute it or turn it into a golf course - probably both.

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

So, in other words, the answer is yes (to golf, not pollution)

What do you call the 19th hole on the red planet ? A Mars Bar !

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by rustyp

What do you call the 19th hole on the red planet ? A Mars Bar !

Good one!

What is Marvin the Martian's K-9 companions name?

[MDLNB]

Why should we go to Mars? We can see everything we wish of Mars by remote controlled equipment. If we send someone up there, will they survive? Will they make the long trip back? Have we sent anything up there, landed successfully AND made it back to Earth? I guess if some believe that man can change the climate on Earth, then they can go to Mars and warm it up and create oxygen from CO2. Since I know that living on Mars will never have any affect on me, I really don't care if some private money goes into the effort. However, I do not wish to see our taxpayer money go to the effort. Do I care if our sun goes out? Nope, because it won't happen in my lifetime, and probably not in my great-great-great grandchildren's lifetime. I personally believe that man's existence is based solely on God's plan for us, not on man believing they are gods and can have any choice in the matter.
Man travel to Mars? Why? Because they can? Good luck, just don't force me to contribute to the effort. Not interested in encouraging folks to go there just because they can, or think they can. There are many cheaper ways to commit suicide here on earth.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by MDLNB

Why should we go to Mars? We can see everything we wish of Mars by remote controlled equipment. If we send someone up there, will they survive? Will they make the long trip back? Have we sent anything up there, landed successfully AND made it back to Earth? I guess if some believe that man can change the climate on Earth, then they can go to Mars and warm it up and create oxygen from CO2. Since I know that living on Mars will never have any affect on me, I really don't care if some private money goes into the effort. However, I do not wish to see our taxpayer money go to the effort. Do I care if our sun goes out? Nope, because it won't happen in my lifetime, and probably not in my great-great-great grandchildren's lifetime. I personally believe that man's existence is based solely on God's plan for us, not on man believing they are gods and can have any choice in the matter.
Man travel to Mars? Why? Because they can? Good luck, just don't force me to contribute to the effort. Not interested in encouraging folks to go there just because they can, or think they can. There are many cheaper ways to commit suicide here on earth.

How do you know that going to Mars isn’t part of God's plan?

[MDLNB]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

How do you know that going to Mars isn’t part of God's plan?

I don't believe that I said it isn't in HIS plan. I was suggesting that some feel that they can change the climate here, therefore god-like egos. I have no more interest in someone putting a country flag on Mars than I do when someone breaks a home run record in baseball or rushing record in football. As for putting a man on Mars is concerned, I believe it's just more frivolous spending of taxpayer's hard earned money. And like I said before, if the private sector wishes to waste their money, so be it.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by MDLNB

I don't believe that I said it isn't in HIS plan. I was suggesting that some feel that they can change the climate here, therefore god-like egos. I have no more interest in someone putting a country flag on Mars than I do when someone breaks a home run record in baseball or rushing record in football. As for putting a man on Mars is concerned, I believe it's just more frivolous spending of taxpayer's hard earned money. And like I said before, if the private sector wishes to waste their money, so be it.

"God-like egos". Hardly! If I believed I could control the climate by myself with just a thought, that would be God-like. But, with the help of over 8 billion of my human brothers and sisters and all the ingenuity and machines and factories, ships, etc, it is more than possible. Hardly God-like.
Great endeavors bring amazing scientific discovery that save lives, and can help protect our country and much more. Hardly what I would call frivolous spending. It is a normal part of living as part of a society.

[simplesimonsaid]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

How do you know that going to Mars isn’t part of God's plan?

Which one controls space travel?

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by simplesimonsaid

Which one controls space travel?

Which what controls space travel? Which God, which rule? Please be more spac-ific ������

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

No worries. With Elon calling the shots we’ll have a Mars colony by 2035 and will be mining the asteroid belt soon after.

As it should be.

SpaceX will probably be only one that can make trip.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

"God-like egos". Hardly! If I believed I could control the climate by myself with just a thought, that would be God-like. But, with the help of over 8 billion of my human brothers and sisters and all the ingenuity and machines and factories, ships, etc, it is more than possible. Hardly God-like.
Great endeavors bring amazing scientific discovery that save lives, and can help protect our country and much more. Hardly what I would call frivolous spending. It is a normal part of living as part of a society.

The only way to control climate change is to control population of humans.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

The only way to control climate change is to control population of humans.

One of many pieces of the puzzle which need to be considered.

[JerryLBell]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

Unless we become a space going race we die when the sun expires.

In about a billion years, our local star will get enough brighter to cause the oceans of our little planet to boil away, so we really don't need to wait until the sun runs out of hydrogen and starts to expand radically (out to or just past the orbit of Earth) to find the neighborhood no longer what it used to be.

Besides, even if we could come up with the technology to live further out in the solar system or even to send humanity to the starts, it's not that likely that we'd live that far into the future anyway. Humans haven't been around for all that long compared to some dinosaur species, but even they didn't last a billion years. If we last another hundred thousand years or so, we will have had quite a nice run of it. Given how we have been as stewards to the planet, we probably won't last nearly that long.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by JerryLBell

In about a billion years, our local star will get enough brighter to cause the oceans of our little planet to boil away, so we really don't need to wait until the sun runs out of hydrogen and starts to expand radically (out to or just past the orbit of Earth) to find the neighborhood no longer what it used to be.

Besides, even if we could come up with the technology to live further out in the solar system or even to send humanity to the starts, it's not that likely that we'd live that far into the future anyway. Humans haven't been around for all that long compared to some dinosaur species, but even they didn't last a billion years. If we last another hundred thousand years or so, we will have had quite a nice run of it. Given how we have been as stewards to the planet, we probably won't last nearly that long.

All true. So, what do you suggest our species should do? Take the pessimistic approach, assume the position, head between legs and kiss our buttons goodbye? Or, take an optimistic approach, try to be better stewards of our planet, invest in scientific plans that promote space travel for long-term survival and exploration? Or, lastly, ignore it all and play another round of golf and pretend everything is just fine?
Personally, I like option 2. Just because I love my species, that doesn't blind me to our faults. No kids means I have no stake in the future. Still, I'd like to think there is hope for my species, even though I will never know.