The Mars rover: am I missing something?
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From: Lenexa, KS
The Mars rover: am I missing something?
Like a lot of other Americans I was watching the televised coverage of the NASA rover landing on Mars. I think they said it cost about 600-700 million dollars to get it there. What are the REAL LIFE benefits of this endeavor? I'm not trying to be overly critical, rather I'm fishing for someone to explain the benefits of the exploration. Was there ever life on Mars? Is there water on Mars? What's the difference, it's millions of miles from Earth and it will never be feasible for anyone but a select group of astronauts to travel there. I don't understand all the hype, it seems like an expensive "hobby" that rich countries partake in, but I'm open to the idea of being enlightened. 
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From: KCMO
Re: The Mars rover: am I missing something?
Originally posted by jskufan
it will never be feasible for anyone but a select group of astronauts to travel there.
it will never be feasible for anyone but a select group of astronauts to travel there.
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From: Roseburg OR.
Oh gosh there are lots of good things that could come of a mission to Mars. Suppose they do find evidence of ancient life on Mars. That would in itself have profound implications for religions of all kinds here on Earth. Maybe they find water making it possible to eventually terraform Mars to make it habitable.
I'm sure many of the benefits will be unintentional. Think what life would be like today if people hadn't ever decided to put satelites in orbit. From weather forecasting (I know I think the old bear fat guys did about as good) to global communications to military uses gps sattelite tv.
What if Columbus hadn't tried to sail around to the other side of the world? Who knows what benefits might be had. Maybe not for us but possibly for future generations. 6-7 hundred mill isn't much in the grand scheme of things to further man's understanding of our solar system imho.
But I'm a bit of a science nut so my view may be skewed some. I would rather spend it on that than give it away to entitlement programs.
I'm sure many of the benefits will be unintentional. Think what life would be like today if people hadn't ever decided to put satelites in orbit. From weather forecasting (I know I think the old bear fat guys did about as good) to global communications to military uses gps sattelite tv.
What if Columbus hadn't tried to sail around to the other side of the world? Who knows what benefits might be had. Maybe not for us but possibly for future generations. 6-7 hundred mill isn't much in the grand scheme of things to further man's understanding of our solar system imho.
But I'm a bit of a science nut so my view may be skewed some. I would rather spend it on that than give it away to entitlement programs.
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From: NE Texas
I don't have an answer, Jeff, but what if there's some new chemical/mineral there that will cure cancer. Or proof of an ancient civilization? If we have the means to travel to other planets and not the desire, then we could miss out on something - something that maybe we are meant to find, left there either by those that came before us or from God. Who knows? I am waiting for some results and would really like for there to be something - even if it's knowledge to get us to another planet.
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From: Blue Hill Township
You have to start somewhere. How are we supposed to live on Mars like in Sci-Fi movies if we never go there?
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From: Lenexa, KS
Originally posted by Big Orn
I don't have an answer, Jeff, but what if there's some new chemical/mineral there that will cure cancer. Or proof of an ancient civilization? If we have the means to travel to other planets and not the desire, then we could miss out on something - something that maybe we are meant to find, left there either by those that came before us or from God. Who knows? I am waiting for some results and would really like for there to be something - even if it's knowledge to get us to another planet.
I don't have an answer, Jeff, but what if there's some new chemical/mineral there that will cure cancer. Or proof of an ancient civilization? If we have the means to travel to other planets and not the desire, then we could miss out on something - something that maybe we are meant to find, left there either by those that came before us or from God. Who knows? I am waiting for some results and would really like for there to be something - even if it's knowledge to get us to another planet.
), 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!
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From: KCMO
Originally posted by jskufan
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!
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!
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It might not be too bad and idea to know how to get there and to live there at least in the next few hundred years or so. Some time in the future there is going to be one he11 of a big rock come whistling along and turn this planet into a deep freeze for the poor few that are not killed outright. Might be nice to know something about living on Mars. But we would'nt want to think that far ahead, it would be a waste of money.
Later Larry
Later Larry
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From: Lenexa, KS
Originally posted by Larry Heath
Might be nice to know something about living on Mars. But we would'nt want to think that far ahead, it would be a waste of money.
Later Larry
Might be nice to know something about living on Mars. But we would'nt want to think that far ahead, it would be a waste of money.
Later Larry
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From: Los Angeles, California
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!!!!
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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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.
Later Larry
