Colony Question

[naxus]

Which seems more likely for the future of human space exploration and eventual colonization

Manned mission to mars
Temporary Moonbase
Permanent moonbase
Permanent mars Base
100 years ship?

or would we set our sights on a different planet

[patches70]

or would we set our sights on a different planet

Considering it would take thousands of years for us to reach even the nearest star to our own (4.1 light years away), this option with our current technology is impossible.

Which makes this-

100 years ship?

pointless as a few hundred years gets us nowhere.

Either a moonbase, Mars colony or a mission to Europa would be the most plausible. Baby steps, we got to take little bitty baby steps. Europa would be most interesting to explore as of all the bodies in our solar system it has probably the best chance of finding life upon it, besides our own planet of course.

[Army of GOD]

or would we set our sights on a different planet

Considering it would take thousands of years for us to reach even the nearest star to our own (4.1 light years away), this option with our current technology is impossible.

Yea you idiot! You're such a loser for not realizing star and planet are the same words!

[Crazyirishman]

or would we set our sights on a different planet

Considering it would take thousands of years for us to reach even the nearest star to our own (4.1 light years away), this option with our current technology is impossible.

Yea you idiot! You're such a loser for not realizing star and planet are the same words!

Not to mention that a lot of major things grow on an exponential scale, including technology, what we will be capable of creating in the next hundred years seams unrealistic now, but still very obtainable in that time frame

[Hannibał]

A semi permanent space station would make the most sense. And is most plausible since we haven't been to any moon or planet/star to even think of forming a colony. Better start begging the russians for bunk bed space

[patches70]

or would we set our sights on a different planet

Considering it would take thousands of years for us to reach even the nearest star to our own (4.1 light years away), this option with our current technology is impossible.

Yea you idiot! You're such a loser for not realizing star and planet are the same words!

I think, we would need to find a planet that orbits around a star. So we would have to travel into the near vicinity of a star obviously and the nearest star (which BTW, is unlikely to even have a planet worth exploring) is 4.1 light years away. We'll have to go much further to find a decent planet to explore. A planet orbiting a star. The rest of the planets in our own solar system are not conducive nor in anyway feasible for human colonization. Thus, to find a planet besides Mars to colonize, we would have to leave the solar system.

[PLAYER57832]

Which seems more likely for the future of human space exploration and eventual colonization

Manned mission to mars
Temporary Moonbase
Permanent moonbase
Permanent mars Base
100 years ship?

or would we set our sights on a different planet

Since a manned mission to Mars is the only one currently being planned, that would be first. Such a mission would almost have to have some kind of semipermanent base. It would not really make sense to do the quick turn around we saw on the moon, given the distance and time involved in going to Mars.

However, given the recent budget climate, its likely it won't be the US that goes there. I see us developing a lot of the technology, but then China or some other country pushing to actually use it.

After Mars, we might see a base on moon, or perhaps a mission to one of Jupitors moons. The moon is closer, but to have a base there would mean a practical reason. Right now, I don't know that there is one. The old idea of using it to acquire resources doesn't necessarily seem realistic today, because it looks like more resources would be created to create such a base than could be derived. (I definitely could be wrong in that!).

It will be a LONG time before we are ready to go to other solar systems. Although most of us grew up with "Star TreK" as our basic overall view of the future, its now seeming less and less likely that we will be able to put together the resources and technology necessary. Space travel has become mostly a private enterprise here in the US and there is just way too much technology to develop before it will be truly profitable (other than a few short burst trips into our outer orbit and perhaps tourist trips to the moon).

[Hannibał]

Maybe we can work some debt off hawking china some technology?

[PLAYER57832]

Maybe we can work some debt off hawking china some technology?

We already are. Selling and just plain giving it away.

[InkL0sed]

Private companies are already racing to the moon: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/22/scien ... oon&st=cse

[BigBallinStalin]

Is a giant catapult like the one partially explained in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress a good and cheap alternative for launching things into space?

http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=1118

[naxus]

I agree with the USA being unlikely to have independent missions into space. But we would still be a player tech and information wise.Who do you guys think would be the international team to head out first?

Mars is one of the best close colony planets due to closeness and certain other parameters. But while a manned mission to mars is planned, even a temporary moon base would be needed for colonization of Mars. Costs of building and moving things into space for launch is almost exponentially more expensive that having a drone factory on mars with a simple sort of Maglev or Startram launch platform.

With regards to the space catapult, I would say no. Perhaps for heavier bulk cargo that wont be disturbed by the forces of the launch, but more sensitive equipment would need better launch system. that and Getting people into and out of space still would require landers/shuttles of some sort.

The hundreds year ship is a generational ship. Its not meant to be for hundreds of years, but thousands if needed. Socialist ship with heavy indoctrination so that the mission isn't lost would be a nessicity. They would also lose contact with earth in any normal sense. Do you see us developing FTL Communication systems?

[john9blue]

Maybe we can work some debt off hawking china some technology?

at this rate, the u.s. won't have a space program in 25 years. as inklosed said, the industry is becoming privatized. once we have people who can pay for a trip to the moon, private space exploration will really "take off".

[Haggis_McMutton]

Don't worry guys. I'm gonna make a space elevator.

[InkL0sed]

According to an international treaty, the Moon can't be claimed by any sovereign nation. But that doesn't stop corporations from taking it over, or a new nation.

I think the Moon will eventually be claimed by several entities. Maybe corporations there to profit (though I'm not sure how); maybe settlers fleeing overpopulation (though I'm not sure if they could live there yet). Maybe the Jews will be kicked out of Israel and flee to the Moon.

[40kguy]

if where trying to survive, the moon will do us nothing. Mars might but if im not mistaken it gets swallowed up by the sun to. i think we need to try to make a faster space ship.

[naxus]

if where trying to survive, the moon will do us nothing. Mars might but if im not mistaken it gets swallowed up by the sun to. i think we need to try to make a faster space ship.

The death of the sun is something like 6000 years away, I think we'll have the tech to survive by then.

[john9blue]

i think the sun will be around for at least a few billion more years. we have a ton of other shit to worry about.

[Haggis_McMutton]

if where trying to survive, the moon will do us nothing. Mars might but if im not mistaken it gets swallowed up by the sun to. i think we need to try to make a faster space ship.

The death of the sun is something like 6000 years away, I think we'll have the tech to survive by then.

nice.

[naxus]

i think the sun will be around for at least a few billion more years. we have a ton of other shit to worry about.

Just checked and its "Estimated" to last another 5 billion years. So yeah, No biggie right now

[Army of GOD]

You just said 6000 years...(I know it's a few billion, I just wanted to know what the funk was up with your 6000 year estimation)

Anyway, the sun is the least of our worries. An asteroid, huge-ass volcanic eruption, Oprah Winfrey taking over the world...there are a bunch of nearer things in the future to worry about to get space colonization going.

But like the people before me said...don't underestimate the exponential of technology. If you consider yourself to be an intelligent person, you should almost never speak in absolutes.

[naxus]

6000 years was the number that popped into my mind from somewhere, either way knew it was way farther way than we need to worry about

[GreecePwns]

The first country to get a ship to Alpha Centauri wins, right?

[Army of GOD]

The first country to get a ship to Alpha Centauri wins, right?

Whenever I started getting notifications that other countries were building spaceship parts, I mobilized like f*ck. I still don't even know the correct amount of parts for the fastest ship.

[GreecePwns]

In Civ 5, I think I read that its best to have 7 before launch. It's a lot more tedious with the whole driving them to the capitol thing though and I haven't tried it, so I focus on winning through the United Nations goal (I use Alexander and make all the city-states my bitches).

Oh, we're talking about real life now?