Will we ever make it to mars?

[Alasandros]

I find it sad how much space and its exploration have basically gone no where. We explore more of our own planet everyday and spend more time, effort and money to go look at the bottom of our oceans than we do on furthering our ability to go into space. Im not saying that is a bad thing far from it. Our need to understand our own planet and our relationship to it is an important thing indeed. but we need to go out there, we need to push our boundaries now! not later, not someday, but now. what good will understanding our own planet do us if that is all we know if that is the ONLY place we have been. We have the technology and the ability to leave our planet and go out into space. To set foot on new worlds, to see things no one has ever seen, but we don't. why is that? we can go to mars and set foot on its red soil in less time than it took to build the empire state building all those years ago but we don't. why?

Everyone has there thoughts on this and there theory's or "Conspiracy theory's" although the for this discussion lets leave out the  "Conspiracy theory's" and lets talk about why we don't. It is not why we cant, because we can. Lets see what you guys think is the reason we haven't and don't. =D

[lithicleo]

I'm pretty sure it all comes back to the old evil: money. For anything non military to happen in this country we as an ignorant/media hungry population have to be sold on it first, and the will to pay for it has to last longer than the wave of current political trash. It would take years ... decades of government and popular support before we could develop and implement the infrastructure and equipment to actually go in the way that Mars Colony Challenger envisions. I happen to think our country is waaaay to shortsighted to commit to a project of this grandure. It would take global cooperation (if we could get over ourselves long enough to share information/manufacturing on a scale like that). I personally think the ones to do it will be China. When the Chinese government tells their people to jump, they jump. If they decide to colonize Mars, then they'll be there in 5 years. No squabbling, no discussion.

[Hyper]

Lith I think you are correct.

[Alasandros]

well said! but unfortunately i believe china wont be the one to do it .. if the us got wind of it they would likely find a way to stop them outright or turn there efforts into a global group effort in witch they can try and take center stage. i agree that we need to grow up and get over ourselves and you've made some awesome points! cant wait to see what others come up with as well =D

[Balazur]

It will be difficult to colonize Mars... While puttin' resources for iPad's (or makin' more of that crappy inefficient powder-guns in age of quantum tech) or instead of investin' in Neural Impulse Actuator...
Greed and foolishness (mainly 2nd) are bad mentors for exploring, and innovations, needed to provide tools for that cause (expl)...
Stupid hummies... Always need more impressions instead of creatin' tools to reach understanding...

[Hyper]

It seems to all come down to cash. Why fund it if we can't make a ton of money on it. Sad story of our Earth Colony.....

[Ryder]

It really doesn't come down to cash...

It comes down to people spending their time and effort, and seeing nothing come of it in their lives.

If you work all day, and at the end of the day you have not fed yourself, or housed yourself, or improved your life in some way, then how many days can you possibly sustain such efforts?

We need to have a level of economic activity that is large enough to support a good lifestyle, with enough left over to do more.  As it is, in order just to pretend to maintain our current lifestyle, we have to borrow the wealth of others, with a promise to someday pay back.

We are a long way off from even working enough to maintain our own lifestyle.

[profit004]

It all comes down to determination.  Right now there is a real short supply of it in our country.   

We cant even find the modest testicular fortitude to address the most alarming and pressing issues that could destabilize our country.

http://www.usdebtclock.org/