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Mars: The Next “Giant Leap” for Mankind?
By Laura Knoy on Sunday, July 19, 2009.
On the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, we look at the feasibility of a human voyage to the Red Planet. A manned Mars mission is a dream of many astro-philes, but such a trip poses huge challenges: the logistics of carrying food, fuel and water, astronaut fatigue and psychological demand, delays in communication, danger and, an $18 billion price tag. We’ll talk about why some say it is important to land humans on Mars, what could be in its way, and how we might get around those challenges.
Guests
- Susan Hassler, editor in chief of IEEE Magazine, which features Mars in its June’s issue
- John Gianforte, astronomy instructor for the Granite State College and cofounder of the Astronomical Society of Northern New England
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We need to explore and understand our oceans more, and our environmental dependency on this vast unknown before we look toward putting man on Mars.
We are already sending robots into outerspace which do not have to have elaborate life support systems which come with enormous overhead costs.
I think we need to focus more on protecting earth rather than fulfilling the fantasy of putting a man onto another planet.
Kev
Got to agree with Kev!
There are a lot of things still left undiscovered here on earth. Why are we wasting time and money on things that are far fetched? We should instead put our money to saving our own Planet EARTH.
If a family that couldn't afford health insurance had a son who wanted to by a fancy radio controlled airplane, what would the parents have to tell him?
Just to you know I'm not an anti-space crank, I'm a mechanical engineer and pilot who grew up with model rockets and airplanes and have read popular science since the 70s.
Every time space program fans get asked about what benefit the space program has produced for earth, we hear about nylon and teflon and cell phone technology, and gps. But no one ever noted that all those things might have been developed in R&D programs that don't have the huge expense of creating space vehicles, and actually putting human beings into the inhospitable environment like space - all the operations personel, equipment, fuel, office expenses, computer systems, that are required to accopmlish the mission and have no relation to the R&D discoveries. They talk about the benefits, but no one ever talks about the cost benefit ratio. The other benefits they talk about are the intangibles of international cooperation and sparking the imagination, but the question is can't those things be done on more pressing issues and at a tiny fraction of the price. Space exploration, for all it's facinating qualities and it's original (60s) political justifications, is not just an un-affordable national hobby and welfare for highly educated rocket scientists.
Rick:
There were once two bicycle mechanics who wanted to do something bgger and better that had never been done. I am certainly glad that they did not listen to all of the advice they got telling them how crazy their idea of the airplane was. Anyone that has ever flown owes them a big thank you! We never know where a new innovation is going to come from. Space exploration, be it manned or unmanned has the proven ability to inspire, spark and motivate.
We could certainly use more of that now.
The benefits of pure R & D are ofetn to far` away to see. I do not believe that we can afford to wait. Nylon, teflon, the cell phone integrated circuits may have found their way into mainstream society without space exploration--but when?
If it's such a great and beneficial idea, then NASA should have no trouble attracting Venture Capital and sponsorships to pay for its programs, right? How much has NASA cost me in my tax bill at $50K at the 28% rate over the last ten years? I'd like to compare that to my monthly mortgage payment.
As a devoted student of science, esp. as one with deep love for Astronomy, I strongly feel the need to explore as many as places as possible.
However, considering the situation on our Home Planet, where countless of people are suffering from starvation, from lack of healthcare and of basic facilities... I think concentration should be given to address the basic issues primarily, and not on the luxury of Astronomical Explorations.
Concentration should also be given on Medical Research and on researches that would help the mankind directly and readily.
Look at the ground before gazing at the sky.