Elon Musk and Mars

[Flying Hellfish]

Elon has detailed his plan for Mars colonization.  

Colonizing and even Terraforming Mars is no longer science fiction.  We have the technology to do it now.  The real question is should we?

Humans will go to Mars eventually the first people ever to step on a planet that isn't earth are already born!

Exploration is at the heart of humanity.  Humans push the boundaries of almost everything, space and colonizing another planet seems like a logical next step, right?

Do we really have the right to disturb another planets ecosystem?  Yes Mars is a frozen desert like planet but millions maybe billions of years ago it likely had a much stronger atmosphere and running water and just maybe "life".  The planet core cooled (as Mars is less than half the size of earth) and the water evaporated and froze.  It can easily be argued that this is just the natural planetary evolution of mars within our solar system in our galaxy in our universe. We don't know what will happen to Mars in the next several billion years as our sun whines down it's own "life".  Since we can't know for sure whats to happen perhaps we shouldn't fuck with it and let it evolve on its own?

On the other hand it can be argued that according to our current understanding the sun will swallow us in a few billion years, why not then become a multi planet species and build a second ecosystem to study, learn from and compare to our own?  This may just be the building blocks that help humanity outlive our sun!!!  It could even be argued that humans colonizing Mars is part of Mars' natural planetary evolution anyways.  As soon as humans evolved it was inevitable that the closest inhabitable planet would be colonized eventually.

I personally say GO ELON GO! Get us to Mars and colonize that motherfucker!!!  Curiosity, pushing boundaries, exploring and innovation defines our species. Bottling that up won't work so Mars here we come!

[salamyman]

Of course we should. Seeing as how fast we're swallowing this planet's resources, soon there won't be anything left.

Besides, living in the confined, artificial ecosystems created there maybe we'll learn how to be more frugal and not consume everything just because we can.

So agreed - it should be done. The guy seems to know what he's doing, every field he tries - it's a success.

[fernfries]

Commercial Flight outside the Earth is possible in our lifetime thanks to Elon Musk. Colonizing Mars is cool.

[salamyman]

Interesting what one guy managed to do, something that countries couldn't.

[lutcor]

I think we can colonize Mars in 50 years

[salamyman]

I think we can colonize Mars in 50 years

It depends what you mean by colonize.

Also, another thing that no one thought about - what if Elon Musk decides to claim Mars for himself? He's the first there, to set a foot there on land, he has the right. What then?

[Isaak Bitcoin]

Colonization of Mars in the coming decades is impossible. There are many other defenses on Earth that need to be addressed. And Mars is a challenge for future generations.

[Washball]

Elon Musk will not step foot on Mars. We're not ready yet and the new Columbus is not yet born. We better try to save our own planet first, because it will take much longer before we're able to colonize other planets.

[Shrinath]

Your opinion “Curiosity, pushing boundaries, exploring and innovation defines our species” is so true and genuine that I feel like saying “Inquisitiveness to know the unknown and venturing beyond the boundaries has always defined us”. This has yet again been proven by Elon Musk. Whether or not we will be able to colonize and terraform Mars still a question for the future to answer. However, it is still fascinating to think that our fictions are about to be facts in the very near future. This man has encountered too many failures, yet had the indomitable courage to fight against it and win the war. He will always stand as an example and an inspiration to all of us.

[Flying Hellfish]

I think we can colonize Mars in 50 years

It depends what you mean by colonize.

Also, another thing that no one thought about - what if Elon Musk decides to claim Mars for himself? He's the first there, to set a foot there on land, he has the right. What then?

Nah he doesn't have the right!  He can't claim it for himself!  After Sputnik1 was launched the world knew it needed some international space laws.  Over 100 countries have signed the Outer Space Treaty.  A main clause in the treaty is non appropriation of space.  No one gets to claim anything in outer space as their own.  Everything will remain public domain if the treaty is adhered to.  The worlds governments would seize his assets, arrest him and take over Space X and all the trips to MARS if he tried to claim it for himself!

What I do think is that we badly need to update "space law" quickly because a few countries are working on Lunar base projects as well as manned missions to Mars.

Nasa's timeline for manned missions to Mars is 2040.  Space X timeline is late 2020's, its happening and a lot of us alive right now will be around when it happens.  

It is awe inspiring to me, what an incredible time to be a part of!

[Flying Hellfish]

Your opinion “Curiosity, pushing boundaries, exploring and innovation defines our species” is so true and genuine that I feel like saying “Inquisitiveness to know the unknown and venturing beyond the boundaries has always defined us”. This has yet again been proven by Elon Musk. Whether or not we will be able to colonize and terraform Mars still a question for the future to answer. However, it is still fascinating to think that our fictions are about to be facts in the very near future. This man has encountered too many failures, yet had the indomitable courage to fight against it and win the war. He will always stand as an example and an inspiration to all of us.

Well said!

Elon has secured a place in the history books already.  But is he somewhere in the back chapters or is he on front page.  If he makes us a multiplanet species it will forever change humanity as we know it and almost every person will know his name for a very very long time!

[Tuvualala]

Elon has detailed his plan for Mars colonization.  
Colonizing and even Terraforming Mars is no longer science fiction.  

Do we colonize Antarctica? No, it's too difficult and expensive.
Do we terraform Sahara? No, it's too difficult and expensive.
Mars Colonizing and Terraforming will be much more difficult and expensive than Antarctica or Sahara. So it's a dream at that time. We only can build a few scientific outposts for 1 - 3 trillion dollars.

[the artful bodger]

Mars looks like an awful place to live in. There's nothing there but an endless reddish dusty wasteland. I doubt many people could face spending the rest of their lives on it. Colonizing mars with a significant population needs a significant number of people to volunteer to go there, and I doubt there will be enough volunteers.

[CarDioLogic]

Mars looks like an awful place to live in. There's nothing there but an endless reddish dusty wasteland. I doubt many people could face spending the rest of their lives on it. Colonizing mars with a significant population needs a significant number of people to volunteer to go there, and I doubt there will be enough volunteers.

I think there is already many volunteers that are being tested to determine which ones get to go to Mars.

[inooll00]

Elon should have looked even harder on Mars. Perhaps some world researchers have brought human samples sent to Mars as research, but only a few months. We do not know fully what is supporting their lives. Do they really live like the earth (using whatever is on the planet to help manage their needs) and the impact on humans if they live longer. Say for 3 years at least. Mars however is different from the earth. From the structure of air, soil, and water. We know, these three Elements are very supportive of life on earth.

[the artful bodger]

Mars looks like an awful place to live in. There's nothing there but an endless reddish dusty wasteland. I doubt many people could face spending the rest of their lives on it. Colonizing mars with a significant population needs a significant number of people to volunteer to go there, and I doubt there will be enough volunteers.

I think there is already many volunteers that are being tested to determine which ones get to go to Mars.

Yes but to make a significant population on mars needs tens of thousands of suitable volunteers and I'd be surprised if that number of people want to spend their entire lives there.

[upinros]

I think we can colonize Mars in 50 years

The Elon and Mars marches are very clever tools used to fly to planets.

[juragom]

Elon and Mars are very senior when launching to go to planet mark.

[CarDioLogic]

Mars looks like an awful place to live in. There's nothing there but an endless reddish dusty wasteland. I doubt many people could face spending the rest of their lives on it. Colonizing mars with a significant population needs a significant number of people to volunteer to go there, and I doubt there will be enough volunteers.

I think there is already many volunteers that are being tested to determine which ones get to go to Mars.

Yes but to make a significant population on mars needs tens of thousands of suitable volunteers and I'd be surprised if that number of people want to spend their entire lives there.

Some might be born there, and if interplanetary travel is improved they might not have to spend their whole lives in Mars. And i would expect the first jobs in Mars to be very well paid. And life on Mars might not be so bad in the future, daily life will be improved over the years to be similar to earth (same TV shows, internet, varieties of food grown on mars).
I believe it is possible. And that we will be an interplanetary species some day and even beyond that. We will find a way.

After all, humanity can't stay in the solar system forever and survive. We live in a global village, but i believe that we will as a race, expand trougthout the galaxy to the point where you would need a 1000 lifetimes to reach the farthest colony from earth.

I believe earth, in the future (when life here is no longer possible), will always be remembered as the mother of humanity and people will wonder about us who lived here on earth. We will find other life forms, i believe, but which ones from earth should we take with us? Is it possible to build a Noah's ark? Will some humans stay in earth (ghost town planet) and the solar system until their end and die along with it?

Will bitcoin or any other decentralized currency be regarded as currency in that world?
I will stop ranting now.  

[Kingigolo]

Elon is a visionary. I like the Mars idea