Mars: the only goal for humanity

The Space Review ^ | 12/13/04 | Donald Barker

[Cronos]

I only hope when they open some future history book there's a picture of George Washington and George Bush. And not Lenin and Michael Moore.

Let's hope so!!! I think I read it somewhere that perhaps the MArtian settlers of the future will be like us Americans today -- frontier people and the old Earth people will look on them in envy.

[Cronos]

Until we learn how swamp gas and geese flocks can apparently manipulate gravitational forces or other EM phenomena to achieve speeds of 10,000 mph

huh????

[guitfiddlist]

huh????

Project Grudge/BlueBook - USAF. One must accept USAF explanations. After all, they are the authorities on these kinds of things.

[chief_bigfoot]

I think they are referring to 'explanations' of UFO sightings....

I don't see what the fuss is about, I drive through Mars every day...http://maps.msn.com/(uwyg1gvhkdgibauxfdfps5ap)/map.aspx?L=USA&C=40.69749%2c-80.01191&A=41.56667&P=|4FCE|&TI=Mars%2c+Pennsylvania%2c+United+States

[guitfiddlist]

"Foolish Earthlings...speculating about space travel..."

[af_vet_rr]

This is space stuff is going to accellerate much faster then anticpated.

That's an understatement. If I told you in 1999 that within five years, not only would a civilian space program be created, but would have flown into space twice within two weeks using the same spacecraft, taking off and landing at the same airport/spaceport, you would have thought I'd was crazy.

[Mr. Jeeves]

It would be cheaper to go to Iran. Parts of it look just like Mars, and we would gain the side benefit of seizing the Iranian nuclear stockpile along the way. ;)

Seriously, I'm not sure we can afford any major space exploration programs until the Islamist threat is beaten into insignificance.

[NonZeroSum]

You haven't been to Mojave lately have you?

I have. I was there in June.

Subdivisions and shopping malls to the horizon!

Mojave, California? I don't think so. Palmdale and Lancaster, maybe, but not Mojave. It's still mostly empty space around there (and in fact the town is somewhat depressed since they built the 58 bypass around it, wiping out restaurants and motels along 14).

[Constantine XIII]

Well, Antarctica would be great practice. It can kill an exposed human just about as quickly as space. ><

Could be fun! :D

[Constantine XIII]

The Martians might get all up and offended at our blatant Terran imperialism. ^^

[jrfaug06]

A lot of empty space in middle of Australia too. (g)

John

[jrfaug06]

Vast majority of people don't understand that once we develope the unified field theory then all things are open.

Some people think space travel will develop like the automobile did. From model T to present cars. Not so. Once the key is unlocked anti gravity, teleportation, time maniplation will be understand and can be applied.

It is going to be big. In 200 years humanity will have changed more then in the last 1 million.

John

[RightWhale]

piracy will be rampant

Before piracy becomes a possibility, there must be development to pirate. Pirates would have the same problem as developers if the State does not recognize private property rights. The market is on earth, and the State is moving closer to total control of that market every day. It would be very difficult for pirates to bring the booty home without being detected and intercepted in their turn. Besides that, what pirate would want to steal a million ton shipment of aluminum or water?

[RockinRight]

But Mars is much closer to the Asteroid belt than either the Earth or Moon. Mars is the one planet outside Earth that has potential as a future home. It has a similar day length, seasons, is still close enough to the sun that with a proper atmosphere could maintain temps only slightly cooler than Earth (right now it's frigid).

[RockinRight]

Alpha Centauri has three stars-Alpha Centauri A, which is almost identical to the sun but slightly larger and brighter, Alpha Centauri B which is a bit cooler but still sunlike, and Proxima, a small red dwarf star that's pretty much worthless, but interesting. Both of the first two stars have the right spectrum and metal content to harbor earthlike worlds.

[RockinRight]

And if it's the second option, that government is gonna be a lot like ours (is supposed to be).

[RockinRight]

The Moon will be more difficult. The 28-day long daylength, absolutley no atmosphere, and minimal gravity. Mars has less gravity than Earth but much more than the moon does, and a day length of 24 hours and 37 minutes-perfectly adaptable.

[RightWhale]

Mars isn't significantly closer to the Asteroid Belt than is the moon, and only marginally closer than is earth itself.

That is, looking at energy requirements, gravity wells and friction losses, etc., as being more indicative of 'closeness', Mars is a side spur on the main line to asteroid mining and a permanent drain on any possible asteroid mining profitability. The Red Planet represents Red Ink to asteroid mining.