I'm really hoping Mr Musk is successful in his aspirations about Mars. The real innovations in space travel, the BIG ones will only happen get there.

[robertwelton3366]

Expect really big breakthroughs (just as we did with flight) once we get out there for good. That will be the big game changer. Imagine a super collider thousands of miles in diameter?

 

[sam85geo]

In my opinion, humans going to Mars is analogous to visiting Death Valley in the U.S. An achievement to be there and return and a life long curiosity to relate over a cold beer in some swank club on Earth. But living on Mars? No way; The environment is too deleterious to life, the support life line is too costly and too tenuous. We need to find a destination with a suitable environment, or one close to such, where H. Sapiens can "make a living" independently of Earth. Better still, in the astronomical time remaining to complex Earth life, we could "fix-up" our planet to maximize that time. e.g.: no wars, especially nuclear, resource conservation, human population at a sustainable level, preservation of environments for species , etc, etc. Why? Because we just do have the technology or the psychological capability to get "from here to where the grass is greener". Yea! I know I'm a "Sammy Soapbox". So feel free to tell me why I'm wrong; I'll listen.

 

[Catastrophe]

"But living on Mars? No way; The environment is too deleterious to life, the support life line is too costly and too tenuous."

I totally agree. Limited colonisation may be theoretically possible. Difficult, expensive, non-viable, but theoretically possible. Terraforming. Absolutely no way.

Cat

 

[robertwelton3366]

"But living on Mars? No way; The environment is too deleterious to life, the support life line is too costly and too tenuous."

I totally agree. Limited colonisation may be theoretically possible. Difficult, expensive, non-viable, but theoretically possible. Terraforming. Absolutely no way.

Cat

Never been a proponent of building a colony on Mars, or the Moon. Both are exposed to far too much solar radiation to ever be habitable. However, building safe habitable environs INSIDE Mars or the Moon is possible. TBM’s (Tunnel boring machines) could create massive deep chambered pressurized spaces that could accommodate millions of people. Massive solar farms could be built on the surface for energy for underground hydroponic farms, with pocket nuclear reactors for back up.

 

[sam85geo]

As far as the concepts go for colonization of the Moon or Mars, on the surface or underground the tax/costs and resource expenditures would be "astronomical", the probably of success within this century seems close to zero , and I for one, think that humanity on this planet has a high probability of chaotic conflict(s) by 2050ce which will retrogress all space efforts. Consequently, I think it better to spend our money on our planet, and let the space aliens find/contact us.

 

[Catastrophe]

Who wants to live in a hole? Even with Xmas lights?

Cat

 

[Vincent Peri]

I know I won't be going...

Elon Musk says ‘bunch of people will probably die’ during Mars mission

Elon Musk has admitted that “a bunch of people will probably die” in the race to get to Mars.

www.foxbusiness.com

 

[Clovis]

They will die, so did a lot of people in own westward expantion. And not only due to the natives. Sailing ships , and reaching the new world. Many of them sank in storms at sea. Or dashed upon the rocks.

 

[Clovis]

Exploration, setting up colonies, faceing hardships has always been dangerous. Like an Author once said about the western pioneers.
" They bury they're dead along the way",