A Mars Colony in Our Lifetimes?

[amused]

Not for another 100 years at least, unfortunately.

Unless they discover some sort of unobtanium that is worth gazillions of dollars per gram. Doubtful.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Not for another 100 years at least, unfortunately.

Unless they discover some sort of unobtanium that is worth gazillions of dollars per gram. Doubtful.

They're already wanting to build in space. Zero gravity microchip building will be somewhat amazing.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

http://www.space.com/17938-private-spac ... ility.html

[Tyrannical]

Not for another 100 years at least, unfortunately.

Unless they discover some sort of unobtanium that is worth gazillions of dollars per gram. Doubtful.

They're already wanting to build in space. Zero gravity microchip building will be somewhat amazing.

I don't think modern semi-conductor techniques would benefit from zero-g anymore as we are already building them from layers a few atoms thick.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Not for another 100 years at least, unfortunately.

Unless they discover some sort of unobtanium that is worth gazillions of dollars per gram. Doubtful.

They're already wanting to build in space. Zero gravity microchip building will be somewhat amazing.

I don't think modern semi-conductor techniques would benefit from zero-g anymore as we are already building them from layers a few atoms thick.

You can build perfect crystals in space, they've already proven that. Holographic memory awaits mass quantities, I hear.

[amused]

Not for another 100 years at least, unfortunately.

Unless they discover some sort of unobtanium that is worth gazillions of dollars per gram. Doubtful.

They're already wanting to build in space. Zero gravity microchip building will be somewhat amazing.

That's not the same thing as building a colony on Mars though.

Why go to Mars to build stuff in space?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Not for another 100 years at least, unfortunately.

Unless they discover some sort of unobtanium that is worth gazillions of dollars per gram. Doubtful.

They're already wanting to build in space. Zero gravity microchip building will be somewhat amazing.

That's not the same thing as building a colony on Mars though.

Why go to Mars to build stuff in space?

I'm talking about incentives to get into space, reasons to build the space elevator that will make a sustainable Mars colony possible.

[amused]

Not for another 100 years at least, unfortunately.

Unless they discover some sort of unobtanium that is worth gazillions of dollars per gram. Doubtful.

They're already wanting to build in space. Zero gravity microchip building will be somewhat amazing.

That's not the same thing as building a colony on Mars though.

Why go to Mars to build stuff in space?

I'm talking about incentives to get into space, reasons to build the space elevator that will make a sustainable Mars colony possible.

Ah, I meant that the only thing that would get us on Mars would be if it had some exotic material that exists only there. Which doesn't seem likely, so there's no real point to a colony just yet.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Ah, I meant that the only thing that would get us on Mars would be if it had some exotic material that exists only there. Which doesn't seem likely, so there's no real point to a colony just yet.

Why do you think that's the only way?

[amused]

Ah, I meant that the only thing that would get us on Mars would be if it had some exotic material that exists only there. Which doesn't seem likely, so there's no real point to a colony just yet.

Why do you think that's the only way?

Because it will be so incredibly expensive that there will have to be an economic benefit to establishing a colony there. Or, a doomsday scenario here and the colony is mankind's lifeboat. But it would probably be too late even then.

All of the exploration and human expansion on earth has/had an economic underpinning, why would going to Mars be different?

[Cormac]

Ah, I meant that the only thing that would get us on Mars would be if it had some exotic material that exists only there. Which doesn't seem likely, so there's no real point to a colony just yet.

Why do you think that's the only way?

Because it will be so incredibly expensive that there will have to be an economic benefit to establishing a colony there. Or, a doomsday scenario here and the colony is mankind's lifeboat. But it would probably be too late even then.

All of the exploration and human expansion on earth has/had an economic underpinning, why would going to Mars be different?

Apollo didn't.

Neither did the exploration of the Arctic or Antarctic.

As for establishing a "lifeboat" - this will only have ANY possibility of success if it is set up long long ahead of it being needed. This means work would need to start now.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Ah, I meant that the only thing that would get us on Mars would be if it had some exotic material that exists only there. Which doesn't seem likely, so there's no real point to a colony just yet.

Why do you think that's the only way?

Because it will be so incredibly expensive that there will have to be an economic benefit to establishing a colony there. Or, a doomsday scenario here and the colony is mankind's lifeboat. But it would probably be too late even then.

All of the exploration and human expansion on earth has/had an economic underpinning, why would going to Mars be different?

Bragging rights.

[amused]

Ah, I meant that the only thing that would get us on Mars would be if it had some exotic material that exists only there. Which doesn't seem likely, so there's no real point to a colony just yet.

Why do you think that's the only way?

Because it will be so incredibly expensive that there will have to be an economic benefit to establishing a colony there. Or, a doomsday scenario here and the colony is mankind's lifeboat. But it would probably be too late even then.

All of the exploration and human expansion on earth has/had an economic underpinning, why would going to Mars be different?

Apollo didn't.

Neither did the exploration of the Arctic or Antarctic.

As for establishing a "lifeboat" - this will only have ANY possibility of success if it is set up long long ahead of it being needed. This means work would need to start now.

Not the same thing as a colony though. There's no colony on the moon even now, and that is by far a more likely event than a Mars colony. The explorations in the poles aren't colonies either, mostly scientific outposts which do have the economic underpinning of research that may prove useful.

[Jason]

One small step for man, one giant leap for colossal space-ants.

[Cormac]

Ah, I meant that the only thing that would get us on Mars would be if it had some exotic material that exists only there. Which doesn't seem likely, so there's no real point to a colony just yet.

Why do you think that's the only way?

Because it will be so incredibly expensive that there will have to be an economic benefit to establishing a colony there. Or, a doomsday scenario here and the colony is mankind's lifeboat. But it would probably be too late even then.

All of the exploration and human expansion on earth has/had an economic underpinning, why would going to Mars be different?

Apollo didn't.

Neither did the exploration of the Arctic or Antarctic.

As for establishing a "lifeboat" - this will only have ANY possibility of success if it is set up long long ahead of it being needed. This means work would need to start now.

Not the same thing as a colony though. There's no colony on the moon even now, and that is by far a more likely event than a Mars colony. The explorations in the poles aren't colonies either, mostly scientific outposts which do have the economic underpinning of research that may prove useful.

Ok, let's split the points just made.

1. Exploration doesn't just happen for profit.
2. An exploration and research centre doesn't equate to a colony. But it is a start.

In the end, we'd actually have to work towards terraforming the beast. How is that for unrealistic!