The Mars rover: am I missing something?
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: suthern elinoees
Originally posted by jskufan
Larry, I'm all for exploring places that have the potential to take some of the strain off "Mother Earth". Do you actually think the time would ever come that it would be feasible to fly any number of humans to mars? 99.9% of the people on this planet can't even afford to fly to another country.
Larry, I'm all for exploring places that have the potential to take some of the strain off "Mother Earth". Do you actually think the time would ever come that it would be feasible to fly any number of humans to mars? 99.9% of the people on this planet can't even afford to fly to another country.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,146
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From: Colorado
If not for two (the biggest of many) BIG expenditures of money, you would NOT be using your computer & peripherals, on the internet( even with Al Gore), cooking with your beloved microwave, talking on your cell phone, wireless remotes, using your GPS, and thousands of other technologocal advances. Those expenditures being space exploration and the military's demand for faster, lighter, more advanced equipment. Think about it......They all might have come later, but how much later?
The gains thus far outweigh the expense by a factor of thousands, IMHO of course.
The gains thus far outweigh the expense by a factor of thousands, IMHO of course.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 785
Likes: 1
From: colorado
Originally posted by rikfish
If not for two (the biggest of many) BIG expenditures of money, you would NOT be using your computer & peripherals, on the internet( even with Al Gore), cooking with your beloved microwave, talking on your cell phone, wireless remotes, using your GPS, and thousands of other technologocal advances. Those expenditures being space exploration and the military's demand for faster, lighter, more advanced equipment. Think about it......They all might have come later, but how much later?
The gains thus far outweigh the expense by a factor of thousands, IMHO of course.
If not for two (the biggest of many) BIG expenditures of money, you would NOT be using your computer & peripherals, on the internet( even with Al Gore), cooking with your beloved microwave, talking on your cell phone, wireless remotes, using your GPS, and thousands of other technologocal advances. Those expenditures being space exploration and the military's demand for faster, lighter, more advanced equipment. Think about it......They all might have come later, but how much later?
The gains thus far outweigh the expense by a factor of thousands, IMHO of course.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
Likes: 8
From: NE Texas
Originally posted by jskufan
Big Orn (I realize that's probably not your name
), if we were to come up with the cure for cancer or any other major disease by going to Mars that would absolutely make the trip worthwile many times over. I'm not sure about the logistics of actually coming back from there. It's one thing to land an unmanned vessel, it's another to re-launch and return from millions of miles away. So, we're probably limited to pictures. As far as possibly learning of other civilizations, that would be very interesting. The funny thing is, we've studied all the previous civilizations here on earth and we still keep making all the same mistakes thousands of years later!
Big Orn (I realize that's probably not your name
), if we were to come up with the cure for cancer or any other major disease by going to Mars that would absolutely make the trip worthwile many times over. I'm not sure about the logistics of actually coming back from there. It's one thing to land an unmanned vessel, it's another to re-launch and return from millions of miles away. So, we're probably limited to pictures. As far as possibly learning of other civilizations, that would be very interesting. The funny thing is, we've studied all the previous civilizations here on earth and we still keep making all the same mistakes thousands of years later!
As far as returning: We are still in the infancy of nanotechnology, but we are closer to understanding it than we once were. We realize that we cannot jump ahead on molecular fabrication until we can comprehend the basics of assembly. It would be like putting the cart before the horse and so on. But knowledge is the key…and that’s what we must continue to pursue. Instead of sending a monkey this time, maybe we could send a computer program that is trained to perform certain functions in place of man.
Imagine that.
JMHO,
Ron
Originally posted by Kundalini
It brought a tear to my eye....
I am so glad we are exploring!! Everyone made some really good points here, all of them I feel are valid. I feel lucky to be living in a time that this is happening not to mention my kids that will see more!!!!
It brought a tear to my eye....
I am so glad we are exploring!! Everyone made some really good points here, all of them I feel are valid. I feel lucky to be living in a time that this is happening not to mention my kids that will see more!!!!
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,821
Likes: 19
From: South Dakota
Originally posted by NascarNut
What I would like to know is why are we always looking for water? If there were aliens, how do we know that they would need water to survive?
What I would like to know is why are we always looking for water? If there were aliens, how do we know that they would need water to survive?
With that said, if there are trace amounts of water left on mars, it would be a step closer to proving that there was possible life on mars.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 796
Likes: 1
From: KCMO
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by NascarNut
What I would like to know is why are we always looking for water?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by NascarNut
What I would like to know is why are we always looking for water?
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,496
Likes: 0
From: Calgary Canada
I've been closely watching the coverage and reading about the missions in National Geographic. I'm fascinated. The evidence of geologic activity, water driven, on Mars is impressive, and leads to thousands more questions. I can't wait to see what the rovers come up with, especially the one that landed in the possible lake bed.
I keep thinking that the planet looks and seems to have the physical features of Earth, barring one major catastrophe that removed all life- ie asteroid impact, volcanic explosion, nuclear war, etc. It would seem the pieces of the puzzle are all there for life to have existed, or at least have had the chance to exist, and that the planet was at one time a dynamic system.
If we can piece together the history of Mars, it could be the single most valuable map for human kind ever constructed.
Bravo to NASA and the European and Japanese space programs.
Waxy
I keep thinking that the planet looks and seems to have the physical features of Earth, barring one major catastrophe that removed all life- ie asteroid impact, volcanic explosion, nuclear war, etc. It would seem the pieces of the puzzle are all there for life to have existed, or at least have had the chance to exist, and that the planet was at one time a dynamic system.
If we can piece together the history of Mars, it could be the single most valuable map for human kind ever constructed.
Bravo to NASA and the European and Japanese space programs.
Waxy
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,496
Likes: 0
From: Calgary Canada
Originally posted by NascarNut
What I would like to know is why are we always looking for water? If there were aliens, how do we know that they would need water to survive?
What I would like to know is why are we always looking for water? If there were aliens, how do we know that they would need water to survive?
1- Water indicates the presence of free or easily attainable Oxygen. Oygen as you know is key to life, that's also why they are targeting what they believe is a hematite deposit - hematite is oxidized iron ore, and indicates abundant oxygen.
2- It is "theorized" (given your sig) that all life began in the oceans of the world as bacteria that lived through both photosynthesis, and even earlier, through the production of energy by breaking down sulphur and other metals within water. Check out the black smokers and other forms of bacteria that exist today as an example of the earliest and most simplistic forms of life that they are trying to identify on Mars.
Waxy
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,496
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From: Calgary Canada
Originally posted by 02PSD4ME
News said it was $800 Million..
Hey what else are we going to spend it on??
Healthcare, food education??? Nah..
News said it was $800 Million..
Hey what else are we going to spend it on??
Healthcare, food education??? Nah..
I probably shouldn't post this because I'd hate to derail this thread, but I can't resist.
Waxy
