Rand, by dismissing mars colonization as romantic mania, aren’t you saying that mars is not important?
To be clear, I think all real efforts (not govt. spending programs) are important… yes Thomas, that includes mining the moon.
There is a very non romantic reason I believe colonizing mars should have some priority. Development speed matters. Independent martians will develop faster than any other location including the moon (after a decade of equal effort.)
I know I have to defend that position.
The moon can get equipment from earth easier than mars. That’s a trap. Mars will have to build their own machines ISRU. Sure, the initial machine will not be up to the quality of what the moon will get, but mars machine will be adapted to needs faster.
The moon will have employees operating a limited number of machines and soon rotating out.
Mars colonists will go from one accomplishment to the next because they will not rotate out. They will have an investment to grow, not just some job to do. Mindset matters. Ask SpaceX employees (not the ones let go.)
aren’t you saying that mars is not important?
Yes, I am. Mars is not important to me.
–aren’t you saying that mars is not important?
Yes, I am. Mars is not important to me.–
But in terms of space policy, what is significant is it’s not important
to most people and not important to those elected in government.
In terms of policy or as general matter, global warming is more important than exploring Mars- and global warming is not important.
For Al Gore, global warming is not important- if earth were not to warm by a couple of degree [or more] in century, this is unwelcome news for Gore and all those banging on that political drum. And the lack of warming over last 18 year is something they want to ignore.
Al Gore and other political elite would prefer that there was a lot less people breathing on this planet- and somehow getting to such a condition is more important than the issue of whether planet warms or cools. And Al Gore and others would much happier than they are right now, if the planet was actually warming. Not because it would kill people [that’s fantasy] but rather it would seem to prove that they were correct. And more importantly it would give them more political power.
I think it’s more important to have operational depot in low earth depot- as compared having a rational lunar exploration program- though I don’t understand how one could have a rational lunar exploration program without having operational depots.
And Mars exploration without depots seems even less rational.
Without adequate exploration, the Moon and Mars are less important than they were 2 centuries ago. And most important aspect of all NASA exploration of Moon or Mars, is we discovered that big rocks could hit Earth in next several centuries. Or there is the potential of explosion larger and more destructive than any nuclear weapon ever built, which could strike earth at some point in the future- given more time, it’s more of slight chance. But that the smaller impactor which happen more frequently which could be mistaken for nuclear weapon attack, is probably more important in the near term. Particularly since Obama is permit Iran [and it’s insane leadership] to get nuclear weapons.
Rand, by dismissing mars colonization as romantic mania, aren’t you saying that mars is not important?
To be clear, I think all real efforts (not govt. spending programs) are important… yes Thomas, that includes mining the moon.
There is a very non romantic reason I believe colonizing mars should have some priority. Development speed matters. Independent martians will develop faster than any other location including the moon (after a decade of equal effort.)
I know I have to defend that position.
The moon can get equipment from earth easier than mars. That’s a trap. Mars will have to build their own machines ISRU. Sure, the initial machine will not be up to the quality of what the moon will get, but mars machine will be adapted to needs faster.
The moon will have employees operating a limited number of machines and soon rotating out.
Mars colonists will go from one accomplishment to the next because they will not rotate out. They will have an investment to grow, not just some job to do. Mindset matters. Ask SpaceX employees (not the ones let go.)
aren’t you saying that mars is not important?
Yes, I am. Mars is not important to me.
–aren’t you saying that mars is not important?
Yes, I am. Mars is not important to me.–
But in terms of space policy, what is significant is it’s not important
to most people and not important to those elected in government.
In terms of policy or as general matter, global warming is more important than exploring Mars- and global warming is not important.
For Al Gore, global warming is not important- if earth were not to warm by a couple of degree [or more] in century, this is unwelcome news for Gore and all those banging on that political drum. And the lack of warming over last 18 year is something they want to ignore.
Al Gore and other political elite would prefer that there was a lot less people breathing on this planet- and somehow getting to such a condition is more important than the issue of whether planet warms or cools. And Al Gore and others would much happier than they are right now, if the planet was actually warming. Not because it would kill people [that’s fantasy] but rather it would seem to prove that they were correct. And more importantly it would give them more political power.
I think it’s more important to have operational depot in low earth depot- as compared having a rational lunar exploration program- though I don’t understand how one could have a rational lunar exploration program without having operational depots.
And Mars exploration without depots seems even less rational.
Without adequate exploration, the Moon and Mars are less important than they were 2 centuries ago. And most important aspect of all NASA exploration of Moon or Mars, is we discovered that big rocks could hit Earth in next several centuries. Or there is the potential of explosion larger and more destructive than any nuclear weapon ever built, which could strike earth at some point in the future- given more time, it’s more of slight chance. But that the smaller impactor which happen more frequently which could be mistaken for nuclear weapon attack, is probably more important in the near term. Particularly since Obama is permit Iran [and it’s insane leadership] to get nuclear weapons.