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“You’d be learning about how people work in deep space, without committing yourself to a full Mars mission,” he said. All of these "Not Mars" people always see
by causality0 4y ago
“You’d be learning about how people work in deep space, without committing yourself to a full Mars mission,” he said.
All of these "Not Mars" people always seem to fall into the same boat where they know there's zero point to sticking human beings and life support systems into an observation probe so they trot out this "it's good practice, guys!" horseshit. Scientific progress is not the point of putting the first set of boots on Mars any more than it was the reason for first climbing Everest. The point is to prove it can be done. After that you can quibble about the most efficient method of further human spaceflight development. It's like they're standing in the way of us learning to walk because they insist we figure out the best brand of shoe first.
- ncmncm 4y agoGoing to Mars will be among humanity's least revered achievements. There is nothing there. The only plausibly valuable exports from Mars might be the engines that got your supplies there. With their bells cut off.
- Phrenzy 4y agoAmong the least revered? You mean, below peanut butter and jelly in the same jar? If humanity is going to emerge out of the cradle, Mars will have to be the 2nd step. Right after Luna. As we are out there exploring & homesteading, maybe we will realize what a gem the Earth truly is.
- ncmncm 4y agoGravity too low, too cold, weak sun, no air. Really, all Mars has is dirt, and that is corrosive. We could do much better building spinning cans to live in, out in orbit. Even Venus cloudtops would be a better place to camp than Mars. Peanut butter reliably on the shelf certainly is a greater achievement than people on Mars would be, if we ever bother. When Elon quits hyping it, Mars will slip out of the collective consciousness.
- s1artibartfast 4y agoHow could first foot on an alien planet possibly not be a historic achievement? The point is not and could never realistically be exports. The point is to overcome the challenge and develop capability. You can't learn how to live on another planet in silico
- LargoLasskhyfv 4y agoUntil we've fully explored it, we actually can't know that.
- ncmncm 4y agoExploring Mars more means exploring other places less. Even means mitigating local environmental harm less.
- MomoXenosaga 4y agoWith the advances in robotics and AI manned spaceflight may very well serve no scientific purpose at all. Machines can deal with the harshness of space better than any human crew.