New manned missions to Moon, Mars --- what do you think?

[dragonrider]

Is anyone else excited about the new manned missions that NASA is planning to the Moon and Mars? Even though the missions are several years out, the systems are in development now.

The shuttles will be retired in a few years and then NASA will shift to a new capsule-type vehicle called Orion to transport astronauts to space and back. The Orion capsule will be boosted into space using rocket systems derived from the shuttle boosters. For missions to the Moon, the capsule will dock with a separate lander and even larger rocket system that can boost the lander and capsule from Earth orbit to the Moon.

The overall system is called Constellation and the rockets that boost it into orbit are the Ares I and Ares 5. Some of the biggest rockets ever made are in development for this program. Systems derived from these will be able to send astronauts to Mars or to the asteroids. Here's some info on the NASA website about Constellation, the Orion vehicle, and the Ares rockets: NASA - Constellation Program: NASA's New Spaceships (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/index.html)

I think it is really exciting! I barely remember the moon missions from when I was just a little kid. But I was so excited by it at the time and I always wondered why they didn't continue. I was enthusiastic about the shuttle program, but now I think that probably the shuttle was a long wrong turn and a detour from where we ought to be exploring in space. The shuttle could only go to low earth orbit, and we should be going to the moon and beyond. Finally we are working on those kinds of systems again!

I think it's great, but I haven't found too many people that are very interested, and most people don't even seem to know that NASA is actively building the new system right now.

Does anyone care?
What do you think about this?

[mikeyjo]

I was a huge space junkie as a child. Unfortunately a lot of what I was fed was bullshit.

They funnel the money into weather control and other fun things They'll never go to the moon. It's a lot easier and cheaper to make most believe they are/did.

[mikeyjo]

The very fact that with todays technology the missions are years away should set off alarm bells. They made it there the first time with a commodore running things? but it'll take them nearly a decade to get their shit together this time.

pffff plz....

[mikeyjo]

Ruskies couldn't get close. Mission after mission failed and anyone having studied space history must concede that they had a pretty good grasp of space doings.

3 posts sorry, rambling thoughts after just toking :p

[LuckyG]

Seriously, they should just give up on space exploration and get down under the ocean's surface. I cannot emphasize this point enough - there is absolutely no evidence of life or even somewhat profitable enterprises in space, while we know there is life underwater, and we've only explored something like 7% of the ocean bottom. Who knows what we could find down there?

[dragonrider]

Ruskies couldn't get close. Mission after mission failed and anyone having studied space history must concede that they had a pretty good grasp of space doings. :p

I agree the Russians have a great grasp of space doings, but I don't think they ever made any failed attempts at the moon did they? I think they viewed the moon as a race, as the Americans did, and once the race was lost, they gave it up. I have a feeling that maybe the Americans gave it up too after considering it "won." And maybe the American efforts now are due to a new race with the Chinese, who have stated an interest in the moon, and a new race with the Russians, who are regaing some momentum in their space program.

[mikeyjo]

Chk it out. Surprised me when I saw it.

Chronology of the Moon Race (http://www.russianspaceweb.com/chronology_moon_race.html)

[dragonrider]

Chk it out. Surprised me when I saw it.

Chronology of the Moon Race (http://www.russianspaceweb.com/chronology_moon_race.html)

Thanks. Intersting timeline. It looks like the Russians were never able to get that N1 launcher to work, so they didn't have the power send a manned mission to the moon.

[Esoteric416]

I've been interested in the idea of space exploration for a long time myself, and I always wondered why operations weren't continued in regards to the moon. At our current level of technology we could have had a permanent settlement on the moon for years now. Also we could be mining asteroids in the near future for new and possibly invaluable minerals.
We could plant the seeds (so to speak) on mars by terraforming and in the distant future if we've raped the earth to the point that it's become unlivable then there is another option.

[Staurm]

I've got a huge boner on for this too. I would really like to look up at the moon at some point in my life and say, there's life on that celestial object up there millions of miles away.

[Diffusion]

I'm definately excited.

Though I'm still holding out for NASA to send a probe to Europa. . . :(

[space toker]

Seriously, they should just give up on space exploration and get down under the ocean's surface. I cannot emphasize this point enough - there is absolutely no evidence of life or even somewhat profitable enterprises in space, while we know there is life underwater, and we've only explored something like 7% of the ocean bottom. Who knows what we could find down there?

You couldn't be more wrong about space. There is a good chance of current or past life on Mars, and evidence for oceans under the ice that possibly sustain life on all Jovian moons except Io, Enceladus, and even possibly Pluto and Charon. And if there why not on Eris or Sedna and elsewhere in the Kuiper belt? Titan has methane lakes and there is a slight chance extremophile life could develop in those conditions, and I think I even heard that there could be an ocean on Titan under the surface ice.
It is almost certain that life exists or existed in at least one of these places. Yes we should explore the ocean too, but the point of space having little to offer is way way off base. I think I heard that between helium-3 and other resources on the moon, and especially the asteroid belt have enough resources to build many orbital habitats or whatever they are called, and just the resources from the biggest asteroid could allow quadrillions of people to live in our solar system, all with the standard of living of the upper middle class. That's a lotta moola just waiting to be reaped if we ever get off our asses and make it happen! And if we don't make it happen and stay only on this planet, it is a certainty that we will all go extinct eventually from an asteroid or comet impact, gamma ray burst, or any number of events man-made or natural. We could all be knocked out of existence in one blow. If we settle our solar system and eventually send some of those orbiting habitats to other stars and sow our seeds there, we will not have "all our eggs in one basket" and will live on as a species, conceivably for millions or billions of years longer than if we just stay on Earth. We should be vigorously and actively funding and persuing every possible technology capable of enabling travel to other stars. Even warp drive or something similar is theoretically very possible. We should take half the money we waste on military spending (if we only sought to make friends instead of brutalizing everyone into submission, we would need a mere fraction of the military force we have now) and apply it to space funding. Colonies on the moon, Mars, floating cities in Venus's atmosphere, A Mercury base in the shaded polar craters, and so on, almost everything can be settled besides the gas giants themselves. Build the infastructure for a strong solar system-wide economy and the rest will follow. The need for new ways of doing things would spawn technologies we can't even dream of today. We must get serious about the Moon and Mars and do it sooner than they plan to. before it's too late.

[space toker]

I've been interested in the idea of space exploration for a long time myself, and I always wondered why operations weren't continued in regards to the moon. At our current level of technology we could have had a permanent settlement on the moon for years now. Also we could be mining asteroids in the near future for new and possibly invaluable minerals.
We could plant the seeds (so to speak) on mars by terraforming and in the distant future if we've raped the earth to the point that it's become unlivable then there is another option.

Exactly, if we listened to Von Braun and continued our presence on the Moon, by now we should have many well developed colonies on the Moon, a few developing colonies on Mars, and starting to set up the first bases on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Hell if we did all that, like I said one thing could have led to another technology wise and we could have warp drive by now or soon. But it is not too late, YET. If we get our shit together we could all flourish. If not we are doomed.

[space toker]

I've got a huge boner on for this too. I would really like to look up at the moon at some point in my life and say, there's life on that celestial object up there millions of miles away.

The moon is like 230,000 miles away dumbass! :D
kidding
Point is well taken though, I too would like to look up and see the Moon, Mars, even other stars and say there's people living there. Hell I wish I could be there and look at a star in the sky and say "that's where I came from". But barring some huge radical breakthrough really fast, that is not going to happen in my lifetime. But maybe someone born in the next 20 or 30 years could see it.
Mars varies, at it's closest it's like 35 million miles, next door in cosmic terms.

[Esoteric416]

Ok so who here would be up for living on the moon? If they ever did get to the point where people were needed to populate a moon colony, would you go if given the chance?

I know that eary stations and colonies would be populated by astronauts, scientists and research personelle, but eventually if it got big enough regular people would be needed to move there. I'd go in a heart beat personally, how about all of you?

One restriction I think would need to be made is: You cant move to the moon if your IQ is under 100. We dont need idiots living in an environment where they could screw up and get the whole colony killed. I'm not trying to put anyone down i'm just saying that I wouldn't be comfortable living in a moon base with a bunch of people who arent taking it seriously.

[dragonrider]

Ok so who here would be up for living on the moon? If they ever did get to the point where people were needed to populate a moon colony, would you go if given the chance?

I know that eary stations and colonies would be populated by astronauts, scientists and research personelle, but eventually if it got big enough regular people would be needed to move there. I'd go in a heart beat personally, how about all of you?

One restriction I think would need to be made is: You cant move to the moon if your IQ is under 100. We dont need idiots living in an environment where they could screw up and get the whole colony killed. I'm not trying to put anyone down i'm just saying that I wouldn't be comfortable living in a moon base with a bunch of people who arent taking it seriously.

I would definitely go --- to the moon, to Mars, or to a space station. I've always dreamed of going to space.

[NaughtyDreadz]

the most awesome part of that would be coming back and being a few months younger than everyone on earth..

[SnSstealth]

Im with ya dragon...If they needed to send a guy out there....I would gladly go...non-returnable trip?...thats ok...Ill pack enough nug:thumbsup:
whiskeytango

[space toker]

yeah I would gladly go. I just hope they "get their ass in their hands" and spped things up. Supposedly we went to the moon a mere 9 years after Kennedy came up with the idea and we started from scratch, so you mean to tell me it will take until 2020 to go to the moon and 2030 or 2035 for Mars? IF we had planned for it, we could have gone to both last decade or before, and could still go by 2014 or so. Hell 2035, I'd be like 65 by then, I don't suppose they'd have any use for fuds unless they find a cure for the ultimate disease by then: aging/death. Eventually they may be able to take a sample from you and isolate your great-grandparents DNA and bring them back to life. So anything is possible.

[dragonrider]

yeah I would gladly go. I just hope they "get their ass in their hands" and spped things up. Supposedly we went to the moon a mere 9 years after Kennedy came up with the idea and we started from scratch, so you mean to tell me it will take until 2020 to go to the moon and 2030 or 2035 for Mars? IF we had planned for it, we could have gone to both last decade or before, and could still go by 2014 or so. Hell 2035, I'd be like 65 by then, I don't suppose they'd have any use for fuds unless they find a cure for the ultimate disease by then: aging/death. Eventually they may be able to take a sample from you and isolate your great-grandparents DNA and bring them back to life. So anything is possible.

At first I thought the same thing --- why could we go to the Moon in less than a decade starting from NOTHING, and now it is going to take so much longer to get the ability to go back when we already know so much more about how to do it? But the difference is that with Apollo, they were just proving the ability to go. There wasn't much capability beyond that. With this program, they want to have the ability to take much much more with them, set up long term bases, do long range exploration, reach other parts of the moon, and do it with a lot more safety built into the systems. This time they are going for the long haul, so it will take a lot more to develop the systems for that.

Also, the budget is nothing like what it was during the cold war. Once Kennedy made that commitment and basicly threw down the challenge to the Soviets, we would have paid anything to make it.

I wish we hadn't lost our way. We should have started a program like this decades earlier, and we could have bases on the moon and Mars by now. Looking back, it seems like the Apollo program is a little piece of the 21st century that was picked up and somehow trasported back in time to the 60's. Next year it will be 40 years since the first moon landing. and we won't be back there for another 10 years on the current schedule. Seems like 50 years is a long time to wait between getting there the first time and going back. Who would have ever guessed it would take that long?

[Coelho]

Well... while i think its very interesting to make new manned missions (mainly for the astronauts of course), i think there are things more in need of money and research here in Earth... i think we should first learn how to live peacefully here in Earth, and only then try to go to further places.

[Esoteric416]

The best part of going back to the moon is they get to drive the lunar rover again, and if they plan on taking a new one along then they can drive the old one like they stole it and really test out that 60's technology.
Should be good times. :D

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

maybe they'll race them! :D

[Esoteric416]

YES!!!! :thumbsup:

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

im puttin' my stash on the 60's model! go 60's model!

[space toker]

Well... while i think its very interesting to make new manned missions (mainly for the astronauts of course), i think there are things more in need of money and research here in Earth... i think we should first learn how to live peacefully here in Earth, and only then try to go to further places.

This is a misguided sentiment that some keep going back to, that space exploration is a waste of time or money. There are plenty of things that need funding but space exploration is one of them. The space program gets like $15-16 billion and the military gets like a quarter trillion or something, and plenty of other government fat that is far more excessive than the space budget. The point is, space exploration should be funded more, not less, so we can start advancing technology that leads to solving a lot of problems here on Earth as well as eventually provide everyone on Earth with income beyond their widest dreams. It is worth it, that is a huge understatement. We need to do it or we will perish if remaining on only 1 planet. And I would go elsewhere if needed, I would love to explore space. PEACE

[Breukelen advocaat]

It is entirely unnecessary, and very expensive, to send humans to other planets because these missions could be accomplished just as well through robotics and other technology. NASA believes, probably correctly, that the average taxpayers are unwilling to support their projects unless humans are included on the trips.

[trancefusion5]

Well... while i think its very interesting to make new manned missions (mainly for the astronauts of course), i think there are things more in need of money and research here in Earth... i think we should first learn how to live peacefully here in Earth, and only then try to go to further places.

(I think)The most amazing thing that the trips to the moon did (besides landing on the moon) was to unite the world! Have you ever seen how many people watched those first steps and what an impact it had. Im not saying it lasted and didnt cause a few stirs with Russia but it was an amazing time for not just America but humanity.

I think this is amazing and cant wait!! Ive always wanted to work for NASA or anything with space for that matter!

Think about it! Our sun is a star and if every other star has planets revolving around it then the odds are huge that life is out there. Ive heard the goldilocks term used that says a planet has to be in the perfect spot (not to hot not to cold)(not to close to the sun but not to far) and must have all the right gasses to sustain life. I donâ??t believe this one bit! There must be gasses out there that we have never eve thought could exist or couldnâ??t even rap our heads around if we found they did. Just like all life on earth has evolved to breath oxygen, why couldnâ??t other life forms breathe some other gas? Also our planet uses the gasses in its atmosphere to keep the planet the right temp (well it doesnâ??t USE them it just kinda works out that way) How do we know that these other gasses are not doing the same on a different planet. Im not saying there are little green aliens running around on other planets, im saying YOU NEVER KNOW!!

:wtf:

[trancefusion5]

Lets also not forget that many technologies that we take for granted today where discovered back then because of the space race.

[Esoteric416]

The idea of life elsewhere in the universe if one of my favorite topics. What kind of shapes would it take? What mechanisms for survival would it have evolved? I wonder how long if would be before we were able to communicate with other life in an effective manor?
I recently watched a pbs show about extraterrestrial life hosted by a guy named Timothy Ferris. The show was really good the way it gave a nice overview of all the relevant info and ideas. There is a scene involving an X-mas tree as a visual aid for the topic of communicating with ETs via radio waves. I hadnt ever thought about the subject in quite the same way before, theres a good chance that we may be listening and even talking to an empty universe given the time scales were dealing with. That idea is kind of a downer but just after they talked about the idea of finding the remains of a once advanced and far-reaching civilization. the idea was something like an interstelar internet system generating its own power, but just lying dormant for millenia after the demise of its creators.

[Esoteric416]

Think about it! Our sun is a star and if every other star has planets revolving around it then the odds are huge that life is out there. Ive heard the goldilocks term used that says a planet has to be in the perfect spot (not to hot not to cold)(not to close to the sun but not to far) and must have all the right gasses to sustain life. I donâ??t believe this one bit!

Actually not all stars have planets around them, but that's beside the point. Youre right that the odds are far in favor of life having developed somewhere else in the universe. The theoretical (because how could we ever get an accurate count?) number of stars in the universe is insane hundreds of trillions or something, if anyone knows the figure . . .
Anyway even if ony 1/10th of the stars have planets then the chance for ETs is still huge.
The question of wether or not we ever meet ETs depends, in part, on how long species last. Will humans be around long enough for a message from another star system to ever reach us? Proxima Centauri, our nearest neighbor star, is 4 or 5 lightyears away. It takes fucking LIGHT 5 years to get here, and its such a miniscule distance even just in terms of our own galaxy.

So how long, on average, do you all think a species, something similar to our own, would last?
Or should i start a new thread for that?

[Esoteric416]

LOL sorry, trancefusion you said every OTHER star, and i didnt even catch that.
O well same difference. :D

[Delta9 UK]

I think we are about to see a race to weaponise space.

The U.S military (and most of NATO) rely heavily on GPS/Sat technology to operate current weapon systems. With the Chinese capable of shooting down said technology we need to "up our game".

This "new space race" is just another arms race in disguise. All imho of course ;)

[flyingimam]

I hope the first pack of humans on mars will include a stoner to announce it forever marijuana friendly! lol:jointsmile:

cuz all over earth [with very very few exceptions so far] thnx to our very own country and conventions and ideas we pushed on others decades ago, it will be illegal and most likely remain illegal for a long time to come!

[KetracelWHITE]

I don't think we ever stopped going to the moon.

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

GAAAAWWWWWWD!!!!!!

Scientists wouldnt know "alien" life if they sat on it and it got wedged in their ass cheek!

There is no way to say that anything in this universe is NOT, in fact, intelligent life.

how?

Humans are a self proclaimed intelligent species. no one else told us we were smart, we only tell ourselves to make ourselves feel better, or superior.

But the fact of the matter is we dont have a fucking CLUE as to weather or not we are any smarter (or dumber for that matter) than a rock, tree, blade of grass, or the sun!


It's like learning a new language. in Asia they speak different languages than in south America. but everyone still tries to find a common ground of understanding and communicate with each other.
HOWEVER, we've become so fucking narrow minded and arrogant as to presume that you must have a brain (and usually a tongue) in order to communicate, but we cannot prove that rocks AREN'T trying to tell us something! For all we know, the very markings on their bodies could be their language, and it is a directly physical language like writing, a physical record of their lives.

What's to say that the wind, as it gently caresses our backs is not the air trying to say "hi", or "get the hell out of the damn way" for that matter.

Like i said, people wouldnt know an intelligent lifeform other than human if they sat on it and got it wedged in their ass cheek.

[flyingimam]

To the guy above me, thnx for the RED luv lol

I never gave up the fight for weed on earth!!!! will never do, however given the situation in the world and looking @ things in a practical manner, i find it easier for a fresh start on mars! i mean come on just imagine it as a new continent where the founder announces that no1 can illegalize the stuff there!

a long battle to go on earth and im down for it mayn, don get me wrong...
but i for one have always day dream what if in the next 10 years or so i can be a billionaire and use my own money to be the 1st man to land on mars and do that :D i know... these are just a stoner's "daydreams"
----------
my bad for thread hijack but since we got no more PM buttons i had to clear my stance to avoid any misunderstandings!;)

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

To the guy above me, thnx for the RED luv lol

I never gave up the fight for weed on earth!!!! will never do, however given the situation in the world and looking @ things in a practical manner, i find it easier for a fresh start on mars! i mean come on just imagine it as a new continent where the founder announces that no1 can illegalize the stuff there!

a long battle to go on earth and im down for it mayn, don get me wrong...
but i for one have always day dream what if in the next 10 years or so i can be a billionaire and use my own money to be the 1st man to land on mars and do that :D i know... these are just a stoner's "daydreams"
----------
my bad for thread hijack but since we got no more PM buttons i had to clear my stance to avoid any misunderstandings!;)


Sorry bro, really i am, i shouldnt have done that, and i will correct that next chance i can.


but Earth is my home. MY HOME IS NOT going to be overrun by people who seek to destroy her natural beauty. over my dead body. (that phrase isnt used enough amongst stoners... someone wants to ban weed? repeat after me: "OVER MY DEAD BODY.")

feels great to have real purpose to live, but it sure feels like SHIT that there's nothing i can actually DO to make a difference... if all it took was me, then all it takes is you, and everyone else out there already making the attempt... no... something more needs to be done if we're going to make any life quality improvements for the next generations of hippies and stoner kin.

i cant abandon the home of cannabis, i cannot allow the source of this beautiful plant be further desecrated by politicians, CEO's and War Mongers :mad:

fuck it, if mars is going to offer ANY solutions, it would be sending off all the god damned warlike, destructive, hateful, overly prejudiced people to like a prison. if they want to hate, they can just go to mars and hate the haters, if they want to kill, mars, if they want to destroy people's lives, you had better get them the fuck off OUR planet and put them somewhere where they cant do any more damage to Earth.

WE, THE HUMANS OF THE PLANET EARTH ARE THE SOLE OWNERS OF THE SOIL AND THE ONLY PERSONS WITH ANY SUCH RIGHT TO LIVE HERE.


as for all the politicians, policemen, military, violent gangs, rapists, muggers, bankers, kings, queens, emperors, dictators, tyrants, prime ministers, slave drivers, and all around persons without respect for the free will of others... kill them, ship them to mars, do anything and everything to them except allow them to ruin our lives.


fucking mercenaries out there trying to make a quick buck at the expense of honor, freedom, liberty, justice... go play your games with the assholes on mars, we dont want you here.


TAKE EARTH BACK TO IT'S NATURAL PRISTINE STATE.


fuck all this artificiality right in the eye socket.

[flyingimam]

Sorry bro, really i am, i shouldnt have done that, and i will correct that next chance i can.

its all gravy dawg :jointsmile:


but Earth is my home. MY HOME IS NOT going to be overrun by people who seek to destroy her natural beauty. over my dead body. (that phrase isnt used enough amongst stoners... someone wants to ban weed? repeat after me: "OVER MY DEAD BODY.")

:S2: good call


feels great to have real purpose to live, but it sure feels like SHIT that there's nothing i can actually DO to make a difference... if all it took was me, then all it takes is you, and everyone else out there already making the attempt... no... something more needs to be done if we're going to make any life quality improvements for the next generations of hippies and stoner kin.

i cant abandon the home of cannabis, i cannot allow the source of this beautiful plant be further desecrated by politicians, CEO's and War Mongers :mad:

fuck it, if mars is going to offer ANY solutions, it would be sending off all the god damned warlike, destructive, hateful, overly prejudiced people to like a prison. if they want to hate, they can just go to mars and hate the haters, if they want to kill, mars, if they want to destroy people's lives, you had better get them the fuck off OUR planet and put them somewhere where they cant do any more damage to Earth.

I agree


WE, THE HUMANS OF THE PLANET EARTH ARE THE SOLE OWNERS OF THE SOIL AND THE ONLY PERSONS WITH ANY SUCH RIGHT TO LIVE HERE.

um, i sure hope u mean in harmony with the rest of natural habitants right?



TAKE EARTH BACK TO IT'S NATURAL PRISTINE STATE.

I think if we the humans cannot use our word to get to such state, a massive world war will set us right back to the good ol times when there wasnt 7 billion of us around!
that is IF such a war doesnt OVER DO it-become a nuclear apocalypse-and send us all way back, back to garden of eden! where Adam made the first and worst mistake of mankind, bastard doomed us all to earth, left us on our own!!!! j/k:D

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

um, i sure hope u mean in harmony with the rest of natural habitats right?

but of course. an ecosystem cannot sustain itself unless all creatures are simply doing what it takes for them to reach the bare minimum of survival.

when they get out of hand, they wind up destroying the eco system, as such humans have been doing for the last thousand years or so.

we need to learn our place in the grand scheme of things, instead of thinking we are "god's favorite children" or some weird assed superiority complex bullSHIT.


all we need to do is agriculture, and humans have found their place on earth. nothing more is required than that;

pot for industry and sustinence (replaces meat with all the essential amino acids being in the plant, we dont HAVE to be carnivourous ALL the fucking time, only in the winter when we cannot grow our fucking food :mad:).




I think if we the humans cannot use our word to get to such state, a massive world war will set us right back to the good ol times when there wasnt 7 billion of us around!
that is IF such a war doesnt OVER DO it-become a nuclear apocalypse-and send us all way back, back to garden of eden! where Adam made the first and worst mistake of mankind, bastard doomed us all to earth, left us on our own!!!! j/k:D


hahaha i dont particularaly believe in the adam and eve scenario... lol


im sure there were a couple like that in the begining, but i am equally sure that they werent the only ones.


Plus the tree of knowledge is bunk in the bible version of things... leave it to rome to fuck up religious history haha


but yeah.. i dont think going back to eden is a bad thing either lol


i think killing the surface of the earth is a bad thing... i've grown fond of the sun, y'know... i would hate to live under ground close to the core!

[5thHorseMan]

First off I'm pretty sure I got more brains than a rock, seeing as how a rock is inanimate and non-living and all.

Secondly I doubt we'll make it to mars, not this time around anyway. Mars would require a massive investment of resources, perhaps more than anything else ever before in the history of humanity. Don't think we got the discipline to pull that now.

The moon on the other hand is a known quantity, we know exactly what we're getting ourselves into here. Been there done that, the moon may also possess exploitable resources, making it an even better target, in addition to an easy target. A permanent off planet colony could be established within a decade, with material returns on the investment not long after becoming firmly established.

Not only that but the moon is safer, a crew en-route to, or already on it, is not beyond the abilty to rescue. A mars mission however would be.

[space toker]

We need to colonize space or we will one day go extinct like the dinosaurs, it's not a matter of "if" but "when" and "how". We cannot continue to be a one planet species. We have the ability and I believe responsibility to settle space and bring "lower life forms" with us to prevent their extinction as well. Besides, we will need them for food, we need to have plants for O2 production, global warming on Mars would be a good thing, and so on. Once we get into space, we will need to come up with new technology and perfect it in order to survive, and the knowledge gained will help every human in space and on Earth. If we sit and stagnate in this little pond, it will one day dry up and us along with it. If we settle space, we will find we can do things we thought were impossible a short time ago, and the sky is literally the limit. Once we leave the cradle of low earth orbit, we can spread out and in time we can do anything that is possible to do and go wherever it is possible to go. The journey starts now, are you ready?

[Ub3rB0ng]

Id go as long as they legalize weed in space :)