“”There’s no need to send people to Mars.””
Eventually, our Sun will expand and destroy all life on Earth. Way before, we need to expand into our universe.
When I mention this to some family members, they talk about God, that we will be saved long before the Sun destroys the Earth. My response is, yes, God is going to do what God will do. WHEN God will do this.....well....I do not presume to know God’s will, and we had better take care of business until that time.
As someone who grew up reading The Sands of Mars, The Red Planet and such, I’m an avid proponent of human exploration of Mars. Not interested in cost justification. Human exploration of the unknown is in our DNA. Just something we gotta do. That’s all.
There will be no significant human space travel outside of the earth system. Ever. The moon is the extent of it.
If you are suggesting other star systems, you’d better be ready to extend human life into many thousands of years. perhaps through a suspended state, but what relevance would that provide when the craft arrives?
If you even hint at bringing God into the conversation, you’ll have to bring the WHOLE God, not the one who is dependent on human endeavors.