[TheVitaminPress]

I read this book about a year ago. A friend had recommended looking up info on The Mars Underground and I found this book at my local library.

I was struck by a number of things about it. The plan was well thought out. The notion that the private sector (dealing with necessity and scarcity) could come about the same results more efficiently and for less money than the government put Zubrin at the top of my "awesome scientists" list. Lastly I found his notion that for freedom to exist there must always be frontiers for liberty minded individuals to fill into to be riveting -and pleasantly reminiscent of Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

That being said I would be worried about the economic ramifications of using Mars missions to develop an asteroid triangle to bring back precious metals to Earth. The way I figure it that could seriously drop the value of much of the planet's accumulated wealth.

All in all it was a fantastic read. And I was very moved to consider that it could be done with modern technology or technology right around the corner. Although in the end I am still stuck with the feeling that our focus should be getting on to something a bit more useful than chemical rockets. And even a plan as excellent as this one can't compare to that prospect.

[KevinDavis]

I imagine we can use both use Mars and the Asteroid belt. What I think may happen is this that the factories may leave Earth (at least the heavy industry) and mining leave this planet to space...

Private industry can do it better.. I was just saying the money we spent with the porkulus we could have had 2 Mars missions..