Life on Mars?

[Mizango]

Only 9 months? That's it?

What the fuck?

I want FTL travel in my lifetime, we aren't going to get it until we discover the ancient prothean technology on Mars goddamnit.

We could use prothean technology to build mass relays and to build a citadel right outside of Mars' orbit!

We must stop the reapers at all costs!

[Qalbert]

We shouldn't go to Mars.

[Max™]

What is the point of sending people to Mars exactly?

How many near earth orbit colonies could the same funding produce?

How much easier would it be to go to Mars after we're living in space as more than just a science experiment (ISS)?

How is it better to send a couple of people to go step on a planet, then turn and come home... as opposed to getting a foothold in space itself, and prospecting for platinum group metals in nearby asteroids to turn a huge profit?


Fucking NASA...

[archibaldcrane]

What is the point of sending people to Mars exactly?

How many near earth orbit colonies could the same funding produce?

0. Or maybe .001.

[Brien]

David Bowie song?

[Takedown3]

i've never even heard of any near earth orbit colonies been talked about, mars is significant because its symbolism, a couple orbiting ships/stations with some science going down isnt as important to the people(read taxpayers) footing the bill.

they need to feel that something is actually happening, going to mars is that next step that gives everyone (again read taxpayers) that feeling deep down that we have a direction.

mars can be just as big a foothold, not to mention everything that is still unknown about what is/was down there. why are you so bonerfied about a couple of stations in orbit? it seems to me that alot more science can be accomplished on a base in mars then a couple in earth orbit

[archibaldcrane]

I don't understand how people can ask "why would we go to Mars?"

Perhaps you missed the part where there may be FUCKING ALIEN LIFE or evidence of prior alien life there.

Martians dude. Martians.

[Qalbert]

If you think we should go to Mars you are dumb, and I have reasons for saying this.

[Max™]

You think so?


Are you thinking like a businessman, or a politician?


There's more to do than just float around up there, ya know. An Asteroid is just a floating hill, the heavier rare earth type elements that are buried deep in our mantle mostly here... yeah, they're up there too in similar concentrations, but with meters of rock to deal with, instead of kilometers, and no gravity well to work against.


Remember how the government helped encourage homesteading, and colonized America rapidly? Remember how the British government took over the world for a profit?


Use all the money we're wasting on the neutered PR friendly bullshit that is NASA, funnel it into development an assistance for commercial ventures, everything from the flashy but useless tourism, to asteroid/lunar prospecting and mining ventures, which will drag workers into space readily, where there are people working, people will find it easier to go home to rest if home isn't way down at the bottom of a gravity well.

etc, etc, etc

I'm sure you're right though, it's probably just as hard as NASA makes it look... I mean, they're trying to help move American taxpayers out of the jurisdiction of the U.S. Government obviously, it is totally in their best interests.

[Zalius]

further proving that humans are basically the planet version of the flu. shit gets airborne and spreads like a motherfucker. better make sure your planet is dry, we love water

[Zalius]

You think so?


Are you thinking like a businessman, or a politician?


There's more to do than just float around up there, ya know. An Asteroid is just a floating hill, the heavier rare earth type elements that are buried deep in our mantle mostly here... yeah, they're up there too in similar concentrations, but with meters of rock to deal with, instead of kilometers, and no gravity well to work against.


Remember how the government helped encourage homesteading, and colonized America rapidly? Remember how the British government took over the world for a profit?


Use all the money we're wasting on the neutered PR friendly bullshit that is NASA, funnel it into development an assistance for commercial ventures, everything from the flashy but useless tourism, to asteroid/lunar prospecting and mining ventures, which will drag workers into space readily, where there are people working, people will find it easier to go home to rest if home isn't way down at the bottom of a gravity well.

etc, etc, etc

I'm sure you're right though, it's probably just as hard as NASA makes it look... I mean, they're trying to help move American taxpayers out of the jurisdiction of the U.S. Government obviously, it is totally in their best interests.

you have no idea how much closer the world is bringing me to my goal of becoming the worlds first space pirate captain

[Max™]

Why do we have to live on a planet?

Explain this to me, why is it inherently superior to have a permanent gravity well to deal with, and VAST amounts of wasted material hidden inside of it?

Do you have more usable space on the outside of a solid sphere, or on the inside of a hollow one?

[Mizango]

i've never even heard of any near earth orbit colonies been talked about, mars is significant because its symbolism, a couple orbiting ships/stations with some science going down isnt as important to the people(read taxpayers) footing the bill.

they need to feel that something is actually happening, going to mars is that next step that gives everyone (again read taxpayers) that feeling deep down that we have a direction.

See this is what pisses me off about the "general" public. They couldn't give a shit less about the REAL shit that goes on around them everyday, but we openly foot the bill for wars, welfare vampires and other social sink holes, yet when it comes to something that gives you more of an understanding of how and why you are here, we have to jump through loop holes.

NASA is severely underfunded and has been for a long time, I just hope our missions in 2020 don't get scraped because of something like money. I can think of a lot of reasons to go to Mars as well as to other planets and moons, sadly we have to rely on people not in this field for support.

[Qalbert]

Why do we have to live on a planet?

Explain this to me, why is it inherently superior to have a permanent gravity well to deal with, and VAST amounts of wasted material hidden inside of it?

Do you have more usable space on the outside of a solid sphere, or on the inside of a hollow one?

http://imagebeast.net/images/8k8tc76c159k9sqt8n.png

[Mizango]

Shepard ain't nuffin 2 mess wit.

[Max™]

*whacks Miz with a rolled up scientific journal*

By the grace of Odin, give me the strength of Thor that I may resist smiting this fool!

lol

Planets are something you send scientific research missions DOWN to.

Space is where you build places for people to live, it's easier, you can get all the upsides (spin your habitat... wow, usable gravity if you want it), without having to climb out of a hole every time you wanted to do anything else.

Would you build your house at the bottom of a half mile deep mineshaft?

[Mizango]

Not disagreeing with you at all, I personally would just love to see space become a habitable place so to speak. I love the idea settling a planet that is light years away the same as I do when the first sent someone to the ISS.

Love is love dawg.

[Mizango]

*MORE habitable.

Don't need any of the out context bullshit this time around.

[archibaldcrane]

If you think we should go to Mars you are dumb, and I have reasons for saying this.

Martians dude.

Martians.

[Max™]

I know Miz, I just hold you to a higher standard, it's a compliment really.

You know going to Mars is a pyramid, the same as going to the Moon.


It's a way to show your power, to try to catch the public imagination... but we don't have a big strong enemy to flex at, and the public cares more about reality TV than NASA due to the disenchantment after the Moon launch was as far as we got before retreating back to low orbit.

Make a reality TV show, "Spaced!", if the cast members vote you off, you get chucked out an airlock.