Would You Leave Earth to Colonize Mars?

[ghalfaire]

If I was a young man I would give it some serious thought.

But I would want them to build a golf course there.  Can you imagine how far you could hit a golf ball on Mars? Well maybe not too far even though the gravity is much less so is the atmosphere density so maybe not enough lift for long drives.

[Abu3baid]

Didn't these guys see what happened in total recall? ;)

[Shorty]

If I was a young man I would give it some serious thought.

I'm getting the feeling that there are a few Sandtrappers who don't actually understand what Mars is.

How would any sane person give it a second's thought, let alone "serious thought".

It's 225,300,000 km away.

[Ernest Jones]

[QUOTE name="ghalfaire" url="/t/80257/would-you-leave-earth-to-colonize-mars/36#post_1109259"]   If I was a young man I would give it some serious thought.   [/QUOTE] I'm getting the feeling that there are a few Sandtrappers who don't actually understand what Mars is. How would any sane person give it a second's thought, let alone "serious thought". [COLOR=222222]It's 225,300,000 km away.[/COLOR] [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/115026/] [/URL]

No snow though. That has a very compelling appeal to it that I wouldn't expect an Aussie to fully grasp. ;-)

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorty

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghalfaire

If I was a young man I would give it some serious thought.

I'm getting the feeling that there are a few Sandtrappers who don't actually understand what Mars is.

How would any sane person give it a second's thought, let alone "serious thought".

It's 225,300,000 km away.

No snow though. That has a very compelling appeal to it that I wouldn't expect an Aussie to fully grasp.

The do get snow in the Blue Mountains!  But it's not full on Canadian Polar Vortex fed snow like we get!

[ghalfaire]

I'm getting the feeling that there are a few Sandtrappers who don't actually understand what Mars is.

How would any sane person give it a second's thought, let alone "serious thought".

It's 225,300,000 km away.

Well as  young man I was one of the many engineers that designed and developed the Mars Viking project hardware, a lander and orbiter, a significant achievement for its time. So I believe I do understand Mars to some extent.  I think what is wrong with the country today  (this is not intended to be political) is we need a national goal to unite us.  So why don't we colonize Mars just like early American colonized the frontier?  I can remember when JFK said "in ten years we will put a man on the moon" and we did.  We need more leaders with that kind of visionary attitude.  What have we done lately as a nation that makes one proud to be an American?  When the country was "reaching out" to understand and conquer the unknown the country prospered.  Yup we need to go to Mars just because we can and humankind needs a frontier.  Although I could settle for finding out what is at the bottom of our oceans and creating a few underwater cities.  So without hesitation if I was 20 something again I'd be the first in line to go.  What an adventure it would be.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shorty

I'm getting the feeling that there are a few Sandtrappers who don't actually understand what Mars is.

How would any sane person give it a second's thought, let alone "serious thought".

It's 225,300,000 km away.

Well as  young man I was one of the many engineers that designed and developed the Mars Viking project hardware, a lander and orbiter, a significant achievement for its time. So I believe I do understand Mars to some extent.  I think what is wrong with the country today  (this is not intended to be political) is we need a national goal to unite us.  So why don't we colonize Mars just like early American colonized the frontier?  I can remember when JFK said "in ten years we will put a man on the moon" and we did.  We need more leaders with that kind of visionary attitude.  What have we done lately as a nation that makes one proud to be an American?  When the country was "reaching out" to understand and conquer the unknown the country prospered.  Yup we need to go to Mars just because we can and humankind needs a frontier.  Although I could settle for finding out what is at the bottom of our oceans and creating a few underwater cities.  So without hesitation if I was 20 something again I'd be the first in line to go.  What an adventure it would be.

Cool that you were part of that project. My mom's PhD adviser was on that project.

However, I can only add that the moon was intended to be a round trip ride, this one is different.

http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/technical-feasibility-mars-one-1014

[Deryck Griffith]

I'm getting the feeling that there are a few Sandtrappers who don't actually understand what Mars is.

How would any sane person give it a second's thought, let alone "serious thought".

It's 225,300,000 km away.

The distance between Mars and Earth changes depending on where each is positioned in orbit.  At their closest, it's only 56 million kms You launch in November (the only window to launch in the year) and get there around July"ish" the following year.  Piece of cake!

In all seriousness, I think it's cool 1 and 2, a VERY incredible time in human history that the discussion is even happening.  Would I personally go, no.  But like anything else in the world, there are people willing to do some crazy things (note the dude who skydived from 90+ feet and the other dude who decided he wanted to beat that and did not too long ago).  If these first 100 are that crazy to do this, good on them if that's what they want.

There is no denying that Earth isn't a limitless host of resources for human consumption.  50-100 years from now, there better be options or my children and grandchildren one day will be in serious trouble.  So, I vote for being optimistic.  Yes, it looks like a red planet full of dust and rock but that's looking at it today from a very small picture.  Who knows what can happen in the big long term picture, especially if the idea of Terraforming can actually happen.

[ghalfaire]

Cool that you were part of that project. My mom's PhD adviser was on that project.

However, I can only add that the moon was intended to be a round trip ride, this one is different.

http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/technical-feasibility-mars-one-1014

Not to belabor the point but it is much like my ancestors that left Europe and knew they would never go "home" again perhaps for different reason but sill they were stuck here having left everything they knew and loved.  Just think, if we go to Mars we could turn the place into an Earth like planet in few hundred years.  I guess the other thing is we would learn so much trying to figure out how to do this without killing any the the knowledge gained  would most certainly better life on this planet.  If we don't do it you can bet some other country will sooner of later.

[Shorty]

Just think, if we go to Mars we could turn the place into an Earth like planet in few hundred years.  I guess the other thing is we would learn so much trying to figure out how to do this without killing any the the knowledge gained  would most certainly better life on this planet.  If we don't do it you can bet some other country will sooner of later.

Unbelievable.

And if "we" don't, so what if "some other country" does it. Let them bankrupt themselves for no good reason.

[newtogolf]

We have a better shot building Atlantis at the bottom of the ocean than colonizing Mars.

[billchao]

We have a better shot building Atlantis at the bottom of the ocean than colonizing Mars.

Just guessing here, but I would think it might be easier to colonize Mars than the bottom of the ocean?

[dfreuter415]

We have a better shot building Atlantis at the bottom of the ocean than colonizing Mars.

If you build a golf course in Atlantis, make sure it is near an ocean course (Pebble Beach or Kiawah Island), then there would be an abundance of golf balls.

[Lihu]

[quote name="newtogolf" url="/t/80257/would-you-leave-earth-to-colonize-mars/30#post_1110266"]We have a better shot building Atlantis at the bottom of the ocean than colonizing Mars.

Just guessing here, but I would think it might be easier to colonize Mars than the bottom of the ocean?[/quote] It's cheaper to build on the bottom of the ocean. . .

[PJCdude]

Still, Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids.

In fact, it's cold as hell

[Gunther]

I'm surprised by the lack of adventure amongst our membership. I voted no but only because of my kids, couldn't leave them forever. If I didn't have them, I'd go in a heartbeat. Whether or not Mars can begun to be colonized in our lifetime is besides the point. I think the hypothetical proposed assumes the funding and engineering have been worked out.

[iacas]

I'm surprised by the lack of adventure amongst our membership. I voted no…

Uhm… ?

Lots of other guys here with families too. And there's no golf on Mars. Though some players here would have the chance to be "the best player on the planet" I don't think that's enough to sway them to leave their wives and children.

[Gunther]

Uhm… ? Lots of other guys here with families too. And there's no golf on Mars. Though some players here would have the chance to be "the best player on the planet" I don't think that's enough to sway them to leave their wives and children.

I was more referring to the negativity in their reasoning; seemed like many wouldn't go regardless of family situation. Just an observation.