Recent content by arturo.v.dominguez@gmail.

All it takes is one tinny microbe and the space race is back on.

I’m more inclined that say that mining/gathering the materials, raw or for smelting(?). Here on earth, shipping it to the moon for processing, then shipping back to earth for consumption. Is a complete waste of time and money. But if the raw materials were to be, found/discovered, on the moon...

I am only asking for facts in place of uninformed guesswork. How about starting by just providing the cost of starting on the Moon? Presentable facts are those things which have happened; speculation which might be able to be given is valid only first an agreement is reached on a given time...

Getting manufacturing plant there - once, initially. But don't forget maintenance, spares, possible replacements. Absolutely inherent cost i.e. maintenainance: spares parts and replacement cost) ... the probably and growth of manufacturing has always given us better newer ways to manufacture...

The government can up to a point facilitate the safety of our daily lives. As for after that point it's up to us.

Beyond Near Earth space for Earth based customers - apart from communications and Earth observation (without astronauts) - nothing in space pays it's own way. I believe we are in agreement on this: the cost vs expense of funding of space exploration. I think that as for the rest of our...

Well, you are of the mind that robotics space exploration is the only way to go, that's not a problem. You are after all entitled to your opinion. and I can live with that. Because in the end it's not your call as to what happens and when it happens. As you say machines will find them first...

Yes, I agree, it hasn’t killed curiosity in the sense of making it disappear, completely; but it absolutely can kill what is/would likely be a natural progression leading to the improvements of/on what is and will be required to move forward from the initial stages of any kind of exploration. In...

What is the cost of getting the caustic soda there - let alone the plant? If we decide that we will be attempting such a venture are we talking about transporting (needed materials/equipment) once, twice, or forever? I am not suggesting that these processes are impossible on distant planets. I...

I can't but agree with what you say here. My question is do we limit our search to just the search for extra-terrestrial life? meaning is that the only purpose for our exploring, Or do we go forward with/on the premise that our knowledge of what is. Grows as human existence expands throughout...

Yes, but that could be more about what we mean by 'exploration'. Sure, if we define exploration as just pure science (the systematic study of) then yeah automation will do it. I would say that while that’s all well and good that kind of Compartmentalization can and does limit/kill curiosity...

The colonization of Mars from everything as I can understand and realistically point to. Is more of an off shoot (after thought) of the human desire to explore the Universe. In my opinion if when it ever happens it will be a short-lived history in the human existence. More of a learning...

Too funny ...isn't that the premise for the Martians losing as depicted in "War of the Worlds". That notwithstanding presupposing that more than enough robotics exploration(s) has to happen and has happened. Via which to decide that precautions to any virus /antigens found there are addressed...

In a sense I am in full agreement with you. Where we do however, part company, is on the robots only portion of your argument. Because, unless I am mistaken, you therein advocated no human exploration involvement of any type anywhere. As for cost, hey everything has cost; even right here on...

If we want to minimized human exposure to the effects of outer space; at least as what will be experience within our solar system. The supposition being that we want to minimize that exposure. We know that we can only have missions to Mars which occur (actual coincide with) what we...