Space exploration/colonization

[Blue3]

The odds are quite likely that we're not alone in this galaxy.

[traininthedistance]

Does anyone believe in life in outer space or on other planets in different solar systems?

It's a statistical certainty that there is life of some sort on many, many, many other planets.

The chance that we would be able to make contact with another advanced civilization is virtually nil: the sheer size of things, that makes life so likely (and likely common), also serves to separate one instance from another, by vast gulfs of time and distance.

[H. Ross Peron]

Support wholeheartedly (D)

[Associate Justice PiT]

     An important issue that we would need to address is gravity. Someone who was born and raised on the Moon or on Mars would likely not be able to function on Earth, because their musculature would be too weak. If we want a colony, we should probably develop artificial gravity to help sustain normal development, lest its inhabitants become permanent outcasts from the blue planet.

Aye, that will be a problem but it also seems like a fairly easily solved problem without the need for fake gravity.  Strength suits when they first get back on Earth and/or exercise for a few months before the planned visit.  Or just suffer for a few days while you come "home" to bury grandpa (or whatever) then hop back into space.

     I guess I did make it a little complicated. Another alternative would be to base their economy on professional sports, so everyone there is a trained athlete and should be on roughly equal footing with your average Earthbound human.

[Mopsus]

I support space exploration, as long as it doesn't get too expensive. As far as colonization goes, I would rather that we waited until we solved all our problems on earth before we go around making life miserable on other planets, too.

[Goldwater]

     An important issue that we would need to address is gravity. Someone who was born and raised on the Moon or on Mars would likely not be able to function on Earth, because their musculature would be too weak. If we want a colony, we should probably develop artificial gravity to help sustain normal development, lest its inhabitants become permanent outcasts from the blue planet.

Aye, that will be a problem but it also seems like a fairly easily solved problem without the need for fake gravity.  Strength suits when they first get back on Earth and/or exercise for a few months before the planned visit.  Or just suffer for a few days while you come "home" to bury grandpa (or whatever) then hop back into space.

     I guess I did make it a little complicated. Another alternative would be to base their economy on professional sports, so everyone there is a trained athlete and should be on roughly equal footing with your average Earthbound human.

?

[Oak Hills]

Countless tons of carbon dioxide would have to be created and pumped into the atmosphere to induce global warming, which on its own is a near-impossible task.

You do realize that the Martian atmosphere is 95% carbon dioxide, right?

[Blue3]

I remember an old book of mine saying CFC's could be used to warm up the atmosphere.

[John Dibble]

Does anyone believe in life in outer space or on other planets in different solar systems?

Yes, though intelligent life is likely to be very rare.

[barfbag]

The odds are quite likely that we're not alone in this galaxy.

Yes, I find it very hard to believe that we're alone. There's no proof either way but with random selection life is bound to happen elsewhere.

[barfbag]

Does anyone believe in life in outer space or on other planets in different solar systems?

Yes, though intelligent life is likely to be very rare.

If there is intelligent life out there it may be so intelligent we don't recognize it. We're dealing with so many possibilities that it's almost pointless to debate. All the proof we have is that we're the most intelligent of our solar system. You never know what we might find though.

[morgieb]

More important issues, but the world is not infinite. Of course, neither is the universe....

What happens after the universe dies?

Who says it has to die?

Everything I've read suggests heat death will happen in the next 999 trillion years or something. But they're suggesting it'll happen eventually.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Does anyone believe in life in outer space or on other planets in different solar systems?

Yes, though intelligent life is likely to be very rare.

It has yet to be proven that it exists in this solar system, let alone others.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     An important issue that we would need to address is gravity. Someone who was born and raised on the Moon or on Mars would likely not be able to function on Earth, because their musculature would be too weak. If we want a colony, we should probably develop artificial gravity to help sustain normal development, lest its inhabitants become permanent outcasts from the blue planet.

Aye, that will be a problem but it also seems like a fairly easily solved problem without the need for fake gravity.  Strength suits when they first get back on Earth and/or exercise for a few months before the planned visit.  Or just suffer for a few days while you come "home" to bury grandpa (or whatever) then hop back into space.

     I guess I did make it a little complicated. Another alternative would be to base their economy on professional sports, so everyone there is a trained athlete and should be on roughly equal footing with your average Earthbound human.

?

     I was hoping someone would catch that.

[barfbag]

Does anyone believe in life in outer space or on other planets in different solar systems?

Yes, though intelligent life is likely to be very rare.

It has yet to be proven that it exists in this solar system, let alone others.

If there is life out there, then it's extremely unlikely any of us will be around to see proof.

[Consciously Unconscious]

Support it, but there's quite a few higher priorities right now.

This is how I feel. 

[politicallefty]

I'm a very strong supporter of space exploration and colonization. I think funding should be increased dramatically by the federal government. However, we should also be working with other countries and the private sector to further expand the possibilities. Unfortunately, it seems to me like the de-prioritization of the space program has a lot to do with the end of the Cold War. Without a strong rival, the importance seems to have diminished in the eyes of the government.

With that said, I'm not really a big supporter of colonizing the Moon. Short of a few outposts and the like, I don't think there's much to be gained there. However, I think the first manned mission to Mars should be expedited. If we could get to the Moon in 1969 based on 60s technology, I'm sure we could easily get to Mars by 2020 if we really wanted to (the last part means all the difference though). Any manned missions to Mars should be for the purposes of establishing a permanent settlement. (We don't need to be going to Mars just to say we went there.) I'd support terraformation as soon as technologically possible. Even gradual progress there would be significant. The primary problems are radiation, surface pressure, and temperature. A built-up atmosphere would help there. That would at least allow humans to lose the spacesuit for an oxygen mask before a breathable atmosphere could be established.

Other than Mars, we could be looking at some outer planet moons for exploration. Venus would be a nice destination for colonization, but that's obviously beyond our technology for quite some time. I think it's possible that Mars could be terraformed before a human being ever sets foot on Venus.

[Sec. of State Superique]

As a fan of 2001, a Space Odissey,and as a fan of Governor Moonbeam, I wholeheartdely support Space Exploration. I don't think it should be an American-Russian Effort though; it has to be an International Effort!

[Middle-aged Europe]

I support unmanned exploration of our solar system which is cheaper and much more efficient than manned exploration (although it is usually seen as "uncool" ).

The benefits of space colonization don't outweigh the costs at this point IMO. But if the private industry wants to spend money on it they should go ahead.

[barfbag]

I support unmanned exploration of our solar system which is cheaper and much more efficient than manned exploration (although it is usually seen as "uncool" ).

The benefits of space colonization don't outweigh the costs at this point IMO. But if the private industry wants to spend money on it they should go ahead.

What about looking for fossil fuels and oil on the moon and other planets?

[Middle-aged Europe]

I support unmanned exploration of our solar system which is cheaper and much more efficient than manned exploration (although it is usually seen as "uncool" ).

The benefits of space colonization don't outweigh the costs at this point IMO. But if the private industry wants to spend money on it they should go ahead.

What about looking for fossil fuels and oil on the moon and other planets?

You mean from the Moonplants and Moonimals which there living there a long time ago?

[barfbag]

I support unmanned exploration of our solar system which is cheaper and much more efficient than manned exploration (although it is usually seen as "uncool" ).

The benefits of space colonization don't outweigh the costs at this point IMO. But if the private industry wants to spend money on it they should go ahead.

What about looking for fossil fuels and oil on the moon and other planets?

You mean from the Moonplants and Moonimals which there living there a long time ago?

There used to be life on Mars, but it is extinct to our knowledge.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I support unmanned exploration of our solar system which is cheaper and much more efficient than manned exploration (although it is usually seen as "uncool" ).

The benefits of space colonization don't outweigh the costs at this point IMO. But if the private industry wants to spend money on it they should go ahead.

What about looking for fossil fuels and oil on the moon and other planets?

You mean from the Moonplants and Moonimals which there living there a long time ago?

There used to be life on Mars, but it is extinct to our knowledge.

All we know for certain is the conditions on Mars were once sufficient to support carbon-water-DNA based cellular life.  Whether any ever existed there is unknown.

[Blue3]

Well, there is that Martian rock discovered in the 1990's that seems more-likely-than-not to contain fossilized microorganisms.

[barfbag]

It was mentioned before on this thread by John Dibble I believe, but I have to agree that just because there's been life somewhere doesn't mean it was necessarily intelligent life. We may never know.