When do you think we will visit mars?

When do you think that humans will first step onto mars because i really want to see that in my life time, all the NASA people say we are very close but thats what they said like 20 years back and all we have done is send robots. I know it is probaly very hard to get there with the technology we have no but surely all those egg heads at NASA can come up with something. Look at the moon for intsance surely we should have made a moon base by now, the NASA people said there is going to be one in 2012 but will there be really?

Haha, we'll all be dead on 2012.

But seriously, I doubt any time soon. But, what do I know?

I don't give the 2012 predictions much credit, but I do think it is interesting how many large plans are slated to start that year. Perhaps there are people who know that after then, they won't be held accountable for any of the promises they made; Or at least banking on it?

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Originally Posted by Xaqaria

I don't give the 2012 predictions much credit, but I do think it is interesting how many large plans are slated to start that year. Perhaps there are people who know that after then, they won't be held accountable for any of the promises they made; Or at least banking on it?

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Which reminds me, Xaqaria: I will pay your loan back in 2013 at 1000% interest. ;)

But seriously, have you seen any documentaries by Michio Kaku, or read his books. I am certain that they would appeal to you, if you are interested in the Mars question.

In the next 50 years. We will have civilian space stations and resorts on the moon before then.

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Originally Posted by Universal Mind

In the next 50 years. We will have civilian space stations and resorts on the moon before then.

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Thats what they said about the moon in the 50's...

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Originally Posted by Reality_is_a_Dream

Thats what they said about the moon in the 50's...

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This time it's not just regular Joes saying it. NASA is working on those things as we speak. The work on the space stations is already physical.

Since there is so much speculation around this. When I go there myself. That is when I will believe what I see.

But i can see going to the moon on a holiday (or for you americans a vaction) isnt going to be cheap.

As long as the US continues to place some value in space exploration, we should be able to make it there sooner rather than later. There are already a number of workable plans to make it happen, but I imagine selecting the best candidate and fine-tuning it could take a number of years.

The last one I heard that sounded pretty good involved sending up a habitat and vehicle first. The habitat would be equipped with technology that could convert some of the natural resources into breathable air and store it for later use. After that, the astronauts would be sent up.

The problem with Mars is with its orbit compared to Earth. You can't just go up for a week and come back because the two orbits will take the planets too far away from each other during that time. You have to go up for something closer to a year, which means we have to also have food, water, air to last that long. It's a pretty big order, but not impossible at all.

We've already been to mars; have you people been living under a rock? Or possibly in the cracks of one?

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Originally Posted by Seismosaur

We've already been to mars; have you people been living under a rock? Or possibly in the cracks of one?

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Did you read the original question?

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When do you think that humans will first step onto mars?

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No humans yet. Or have you been reading too many comic books?

Actually that was sarcasm.

But in all honesty with all the lies, damned lies, bullshitting, and conspiracy theories how can you possibly know we have never found life on another planet in the solar system and that humans have never been sent to mars?

Do you work at NASA?

It mostly depends on the commercial viability - at the moment low-orbit flights are becoming a popular topic because of the commercial prospects. A lot of rich people would love to go on a space flight, and hence will help fund a vehicle that does that reliably, safely and at a relatively low cost.
As soon as space flights become cheap, it opens the doors to more commercial ventures.

I'd love to see this sort of thing in my lifetime too. I'm fascinated at the prospect of being on another planet. I'm not getting my hopes up, though. Like a couple others said, the ideas people had 50 years ago about the year 2000 were completely outrageous. People believed it nonetheless. A good example of this is the first anime series Astro Boy. It was set in the year 2000 and had super advanced flying robots and things that in our present time we're still dreaming of. I think it's entirely possible that within the next 50 years we'll have expanded into space a bit more, but I'm going to focus on the crazy stuff they're developing here on the surface.

I told my bank I'd repay them on 2013.

Mars is actually a LONG way off.

I do however firmly believe that by 2050, should the US still exist and still be a super power nation, we will have moon bases, with infrastructure being developed on the moon. We will essentially be practicing for the mission to Mars, but not just for the hell of it. By the time we go, the moon will have a well developed infrastructure.

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Originally Posted by blade5x

Mars is actually a LONG way off.

I do however firmly believe that by 2050, should the US still exist and still be a super power nation, we will have moon bases, with infrastructure being developed on the moon. We will essentially be practicing for the mission to Mars, but not just for the hell of it. By the time we go, the moon will have a well developed infrastructure.

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You should do some reading.

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Originally Posted by Omnius Deus

You should do some reading.

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Give me some source, that actually knows the science, engineering, cost, and time that has to go into a manned mission to Mars, and I'll read it. Otherwise I'm not interested in reading any of this these websites that just "pass information".

Please enlighten me, because as far I know, here are some problems.

- We need a new shuttle, we have one coming by 2015?
- Two years in space. We don't know how to protect a human from solar radiation, and there's also the psychological issue of being millions of miles away from home, all alone.
- Structures need to be able to withstand atmospheric internal pressures with high safety factors, along with other features like radiation shielding, so...
- Moon bases have to come first. These alone will take a decade or two or more.
- The total cost of all of this is: ?

I've read some reports that say 2030... 2040, and etc. But those are always optimistic. I don't see any missions until beyond 2050, unless other countries decide to join a new space race. Bush may have wanted us to go to Mars, but who is to say the next leaders will?

I'd however absolutely love to be wrong, and see us go to Mars much sooner than I expect.

hmmm... duck. panda bear. rabbit. macaroni and cheese.

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Originally Posted by blade5x

Give me some source, that actually knows the science, engineering, cost, and time that has to go into a manned mission to Mars, and I'll read it. Otherwise I'm not interested in reading any of this these websites that just "pass information".

Please enlighten me, because as far I know, here are some problems.

- We need a new shuttle, we have one coming by 2015?
- Two years in space. We don't know how to protect a human from solar radiation, and there's also the psychological issue of being millions of miles away from home, all alone.
- Structures need to be able to withstand atmospheric internal pressures with high safety factors, along with other features like radiation shielding, so...
- Moon bases have to come first. These alone will take a decade or two or more.
- The total cost of all of this is: ?

I've read some reports that say 2030... 2040, and etc. But those are always optimistic. I don't see any missions until beyond 2050, unless other countries decide to join a new space race. Bush may have wanted us to go to Mars, but who is to say the next leaders will?

I'd however absolutely love to be wrong, and see us go to Mars much sooner than I expect.

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I agree with what you're saying, but why would we want let alone need moon bases first? I can see wanting observation equipment on the moon, but not people on it for any reason.

Moon bases would help with construction and proliferation of technology. It's pretty damn hard to launch spacecraft from earth because of the high gravity, however you could launch a much larger craft from the moon using the same amount of energy due to lower gravity. It would also help with keeping people alive in space and improving space machines.

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Originally Posted by adam has a dream

Moon bases would help with construction and proliferation of technology. It's pretty damn hard to launch spacecraft from earth because of the high gravity, however you could launch a much larger craft from the moon using the same amount of energy due to lower gravity. It would also help with keeping people alive in space and improving space machines.

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Adam has it right. Either a moon base or a massive space station are a prerequisite. Launching a manned mission to Mars from Earth would be extremely difficult and prohibitively expensive. Gravity is indeed the issue here.

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Originally Posted by blade5x

Give me some source, that actually knows the science, engineering, cost, and time that has to go into a manned mission to Mars, and I'll read it. Otherwise I'm not interested in reading any of this these websites that just "pass information".

Please enlighten me, because as far I know, here are some problems.

- We need a new shuttle, we have one coming by 2015?
- Two years in space. We don't know how to protect a human from solar radiation, and there's also the psychological issue of being millions of miles away from home, all alone.
- Structures need to be able to withstand atmospheric internal pressures with high safety factors, along with other features like radiation shielding, so...
- Moon bases have to come first. These alone will take a decade or two or more.
- The total cost of all of this is: ?

I've read some reports that say 2030... 2040, and etc. But those are always optimistic. I don't see any missions until beyond 2050, unless other countries decide to join a new space race. Bush may have wanted us to go to Mars, but who is to say the next leaders will?

I'd however absolutely love to be wrong, and see us go to Mars much sooner than I expect.

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I mean this idea that in 2050 the US will still be a super power. I agree we aren't going to Mars.

I think it'll be a long time, simply because there is no reason. There isn't a reason to send humans to mars, if robots can send more detailed images, and it won't risk any lives if we send robots. The only Reason we went to the moon was to impress the soviets, and I feel we won't go to mars unless something similar happens, which it probably won't.