It would cost tens of billions of dollars to send a crew to Mars and back, not to mention put the astronauts in extreme danger. With the same funding, we could release 20 unmanned missions to Europa, Mars and other deep space destinations. If you believe otherwise, tell me why.
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answers:
Dump the liberals into Jupiter say: The reason for sending people isn't the same as the reason for sending robots. Both robots and people can do science. And while people are much more adaptable than robots are, this advantage is outweighed by the far lower cost of robots. You can get about the same gain in effectiveness for less money by designing a series of new robots, and sending them after the earlier ones had demonstrated a shortcoming.
But the reason to send people is colonization. And, as at least a long-term goal, the colonists aren't supposed to depend on Earth for supplies. They are supposed to learn how to live on their planet, or their space station, with the ability to produce everything they need themselves.
People living permanently away from Earth is the goal itself; it isn't a part of the pursuit of something else (e.g. doing science). The ambition for space colonization is a "platonic" ambition; those who favor it don't expect to be rewarded with profit, gain, a paycheck, etc. They do, however, want to see colonization done, even if they must pay the taxes that get it started.
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Flouride say: politicians have been saying since the 1960s they want to see nasa send humans to mars, but they never vote to put up the money. a mars mission is nothing more than a fanciful pipe dream politicians wave before the public to garner votes, but nobody ever takes it seriously. don't expect to ever see humans walking on mars within any of our lifetimes.
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Dan say: It is unrealistic today. Consider the frequency of supply missions to keep the ISS astronauts fed and breathing. It is perhaps a bit over a half year one way, but to return in another bit over a half year, you have to waait for the right orbital positions or elsehave a lot more fuel for the trip. I don't think it is critically necessary, although that might change in the next decade or two. One way trips? Much easier to do, except for the astronauts.
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