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I watched a Republican debate and every single one was against going to Mars. Anyone know any Democrats who support it? I know its not incredibly popular but I really thing a second space race would kick some ass.

I have to say... I would truly love to see it happen in my lifetime.... but I am just not sure it can be justified.

Right now there are very few really solid practical reasons to send people to Mars.

Eh, by the time we get there, Starbucks will already have franchises all over the planet...

I pretty much echo Graham when I say I'd love to see it, but it's unlikely to happen.
There's a reason we stopped going to the moon; there's nothing there. Mars is just more or less a different kind of nothing.

Can anyone remember who, when asked why go to the moon (or wherever it was) answered: "because it's there"?

Whoever he was, he had a point.

I have no idea if this stat is ture since most are BS but last I heard 60% of people either didnt believe or had doubts that we ever got to the moon.

Teaos wrote:I have no idea if this stat is ture since most are BS but last I heard 60% of people either didnt believe or had doubts that we ever got to the moon.

Which... pisses me off something fierce.

We have to go. Humanity must expand, take risks... or wither and die.

I agree with Striker.
We can't float in the kitty pool forever, there will always be problems here at home, so that argument doesn't work either.

I remember seeing a doco on how the moon landing was fake back when I was in high school. At the time it seemed believeable but as soon as me and my friends talked about it we realised that like 3 of their 5 main points were total BS and the other 2 I was quickly able to find out was also BS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Moo ... ccusations

Captain Seafort wrote:Can anyone remember who, when asked why go to the moon (or wherever it was) answered: "because it's there"?

Whoever he was, he had a point.

"Because it's there" is fine and dandy, when it's your time and resources you are expending to do something. It works less well when you are saying we should spend a couple of hundred billion dollars of everyone's money on it with no real return.

I'd rather see someone go to Mars than what most of my Taxes get wasted on.

Teaos wrote:I'd rather see someone go to Mars than what most of my Taxes get wasted on.

But you'd rather live in a country where you don't have to pay taxes.

Not pay much taxes.

Seafort wrote:Can anyone remember who, when asked why go to the moon (or wherever it was) answered: "because it's there"?

I'm not sure of this is who you're reffering to, but John F Kennedy said something to that effect in a speech when talking about the moon.

Unfortunately, going there just because it's there would be a major waste in resources, money and time.

It was mountaineer George Mallory, replying to the question of why he wanted to climb Mount Everest. (I thought it was Edmund Hillary, but I looked it up in case I was wrong. I was.)