How long until Humans walk on Mars?

[Turtle]

Vote Your Conscience

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[Boerseun]

I voted 'more than 30'.

 

I can't see it happening in my lifetime, but then again, I can't see it not happening eventually, either. Somehow, someone will eventually convince the guy with the money to do it. But on the short term, i.e. less than 30, no.

 

Maybe the US and China's pending space race (Moon: US by 2018, China by 2024) will spill over to Mars. Getting to the Moon ain't as impressive as when they did it in '69...

 

One can only hope.

 

The only viable justification for a human on Mars is that it's cool. Any conceivable science can be performed much better and much cheaper with robot landers. And in the absence of a competing global superpower, I don't see the US doing it. China might just come to the rescue for space enthusiasts...

[Jay-qu]

+30, but I dont think it would be much longer than that.. maybe 35 years

[TheFaithfulStone]

My hope is soon. My fear is never.

 

The only viable justification for a human on Mars is that it's cool.

 

Works for me.

 

And that's the only viable justification NOW. After we've settled Mars and the Moon, and developed technology for something approaching closed-loop life support (or at least, where the other end of the loop isn't here at home) then the viable justifications are easier to find.

 

TFS

[Mercedes Benzene]

30 years.

 

Let's get back to the moon first.

[InfiniteNow]

Humans will never walk on Mars... they'll levitate! :cup:

[Mercedes Benzene]

Humans will never walk on Mars... they'll levitate!

 

LMFAO.

That's probably true.

[Guest jamongo]

Within 20 years. And don't argue with me. I'm right. Absolutely right.

 

Hmmm... wait a minute.

 

I'm 74 years old now. Plus 20 would be 94 years old.

 

Hmmm... not much chance of me being around at 94.

 

So.... how you going to prove me wrong?

 

:) :) :hyper: :hyper:

[CerebralEcstasy]

Within 20 years. And don't argue with me. I'm right. Absolutely right.

 

I actually agree with you, another unmanned mission to Mars has been approved by the US, and they have earmarked in the neighbourhood of 9 billion dollars for it. (someone please correct me if I'm off on my numbers, I'm going off memory)

 

I'm only 32, so I may eat my words - but I don't think I will have to. I think it's within our grasp.

 

As for getting back to the moon, I couldn't agree more as well. The things we learn from those excursions will only increase the likelihood of getting onto Mars sooner.

 

For those of you watching the Nasa site, I apologize for repeating material you've already read - for those of you who haven't.....courtesy of nasa

 

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

 

NASA Home > Mission Sections > Space Shuttle

Docking Day Arrives for Discovery, STS-121 Crew

 

Image above: A camera on the shuttle's robotic arm captured this image of Discovery's payload bay and crew cabin. Photo credit: NASA TV

 

Space Shuttle Discovery fired its engines just after 7 a.m. EDT beginning its final approach with the International Space Station. Discovery, which launched Tuesday afternoon to begin STS-121, is scheduled to dock with the station at 10:52 a.m. EDT today.

 

STS-121 will deliver supplies and equipment to the station. Much of the cargo is located in the Italian-built Leonardo multi-purpose logistics module. The STS-121 crew will also conduct at least two spacewalks while docked to the orbital outpost. During the excursions, the crew will demonstrate techniques for inspecting and protecting the shuttle’s thermal protection system.

 

Also, arriving with STS-121 is European Space Agency Astronaut Thomas Reiter. He will become Expedition 13’s third crew member. His arrival will return the station’s crew complement to three for the first time since Expedition 6 left in May 2003.

 

About two hours after Discovery arrives, the hatches will open and the STS-121 crew will enter the station for the first time. STS-121 is currently scheduled to depart the space station on July 14 and land in Florida on the 16th.

 

STS-121 will be the first shuttle mission to visit the station since STS-114 left in August 2005.

[Jay-qu]

I dont see why so many people voted 'within 20', sure it would be cool but realistically I dont think so. China planned that they would go to the moon ~20 years in advance, and a manned mars mission by all accounts would take more planning, development and training time...

[TheFaithfulStone]

'Cause it said "Vote your Conscience" and not "Vote Realistically."

 

The planning has been done, the only thing we lack is courage and will.

 

TFS

[Stargazer]

If the right people are given the right amount of funding and support, it could well happen within 20 years. However, I do think that 30 years is more realistic, unfortunately.

[pgrmdave]

Why is it unfortunate? Should there be a big rush to go to Mars? It's not like it's not going to be there, or anything will change.

[Stargazer]

I'm impatient perhaps. We could have had a Lunar base by now, and manned missions to Mars. Why is it that we haven't gone farther than LEO since 1972? I want to see these things happen sooner rather than later.

[Boerseun]

Why is it that we haven't gone farther than LEO since 1972?

The loss of public interest when the moonshots got 'routine' made it harder for them to justify the cost to the taxpayer. Ironically, the very last person to step on the moon was also the very first trained scientist to step on the moon. His name escaped me now, but he was a trained geologist.

 

How should we prevent the same thing happening with Mars shots? Even if we plan on only going back to the moon (ignore Mars for a second), how would we capture and hold public interest? See how far public interest have dipped with the Space Station. There should be a very good reason to go to the moon, otherwise, after another couple of shots, interest would fizzle out and funding would dry up. Again. And that'll be that until some other World Power challenges the States. What we need is China forcing ahead to set up a permanent Lunar Base. Obviously, in the masculine world of space technology, this can't be tolerated. So the States will have to set up a permanent base on the moon and Mars, so as not to loose face.

[paigetheoracle]

Never - they're so lazy that they'll always take the bus!

 

But seriously I stood on Mars yesterday! (I would rather have eaten it but I dropped it in front of me as I was walking along: For foreigners, a Mars Bar is made of chocolate, with caramel and whipped something or other)