Who thought it was a good idea for the U.S. to be dependent on the Russians to get to space?!

[DaShi]

You might not think so, but that's also a rather long-term view. It's much cheaper to learn interesting and useful things with robots that it is with humans. And it's going to take a long time (and money, and research) before the benefit of having a human on location outweighs the cost of getting a human there and keeping him alive and all that other nasty business.

Additionally, we face significantly more existential threats than the sun's inevitable death.

Are there any nearby stars that could go supernova and wipe us out before the sun gets its chance?

[Lorizael]

Before the sun gets its chance? Yes. Any time soon? No.

[Aeson]

I promise you, if you told 200,000 people that they can get on that rocket over yonder, travel to mars and never see home again, you would not still have nearly 200,000 people in your crowd when you were finished.

I'm sure you could find willing replacements though

[kentonio]

I promise you, if you told 200,000 people that they can get on that rocket over yonder, travel to mars and never see home again, you would not still have nearly 200,000 people in your crowd when you were finished.

You mean the 200,000 WHO KNEW IT WAS A ONE WAY TRIP WHEN THEY APPLIED?!!?

Seriously, if you and Lori want to say it's a **** idea or whatever then cool, but trying to claim no-one would want to do it, when 200,000 people demonstrably DID want to do it is just idiotic.

[Lorizael]

No, I think it's an awesome idea. I just doubt most of those people were taking the application as seriously as they would if they were really faced with the choice.

[regexcellent]

All even vaguely near-term proposals for sending people to mars involve terminal cancer patients because you're going to have cancer by the time the rocket gets there regardless.

[Sava]

I am not surprised you are attracted to shiny things.

Yeah... like the survival of our race.

Moron.

[Patroklos]

As if you have aspirations beyond your next bong hit.

[Sava]

I'm content with my place in life. Aspirations are for FAGS

Jealous?

[Lorizael]

Yeah, won this thread, too.

[Hauldren Collider]

You mean the 200,000 WHO KNEW IT WAS A ONE WAY TRIP WHEN THEY APPLIED?!!?

Yes. I guarantee you take those 200,000, put them in front of the rocket, and said, "you sure?" you'd get a lot of ****ing dropouts.

[DaShi]

Why not just send our criminals? It would be like the Night's Watch.

[Sava]

Yes. I guarantee you take those 200,000, put them in front of the rocket, and said, "you sure?" you'd get a lot of ****ing dropouts.

Do you read the news? People don't value their own lives much.