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  • Are efforts to colonise Mars justified?

    Kaustubh Katdare

    Kaustubh Katdare

    @thebigk
    Updated: Oct 26, 2024
    Views: 1.5K
    Huge amount of money, time and human efforts are being spent on colonising Mars. While we may be years away from actually having humans form colony on Mars, I've always wondered whether all of this is justified? The strong reasons that act in favour of setting up human colonies on Mars are:-
    • We might be hit by an asteroid or some object from space leading to total destruction of the planet; and hence we need a backup mechanism.
    • We need to satisfy our curiosity and prove to ourselves that we CAN indeed conquer Mars.
    • Satisfy our bloated ego.
    • ...and you may add other reasons that are in favour.
    While we know that no big object from space is hitting Earth anytime in near future. Why not use that time to advance our technology to have defence mechanisms so that we are capable of deflecting or destroying anything that poses a threat to us?

    I'm all game for advancement of science, knowledge, technology and engineering; but I firmly believe that all those efforts, time and money with the best brains available on the Earth may be deployed to save and protect our own planet.

    What's your take?
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  • Shreyas Sule

    Member • May 31, 2015

    Its the curiosity of the unknown that has inspired lot of scientists and researchers to focus their attention towards outer space. Many byproduct technologies of Space research such as Satellite TV, GPS Navigation, Advanced Weather prediction, etc. were possible because Space research was the primary driving factor that led to people creating innovations. We have been able to utilize them to create better living conditions on earth.

    There are lot of things to discover, understand and learn about our existence and laws of physics and exploring outer space is that platform. Saving our planet is just a temporary measure. We will need to settle elsewhere as a human race and survive. I agree we should be spending more on saving Earth and try extending its shelf life but at the same time lets be practical and keep searching for possible options for habitat. I firmly believe Earth poses more danger from human triggered annihilation compared to external asteroid or other non human factors. Also, we already have Anti Satellite Weapons (ASATS) that have been successfully tested and can be used against incoming asteroids. Colonizing Mars will be the first step in space colonization. Human colonies on Mars will not only be able to provide unique science experimentation opportunity but will also serve as an intermediate base station for going farther in the universe. For e.g., we will be able to build pit stops or launching stations to extend our reach in the space.

    It is evident from our history that major technological innovations and research were due to different driving factors such as Industrial revolution, World Wars etc. I hope "Space exploration focused towards human colonies on Mars and beyond" proves to be the next driving factor to usher in new discoveries. Meanwhile, lets save planet Earth!
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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • May 31, 2015

    ...is it not established by now that there's no water on mars, no weather that humans can survive in and the transportation technology isn't developed enough to put humans on Mars? Even if we are to colonise the distant planet; are we going to build an artificial atmosphere / dome on that planet? Do we even have resources to do that?

    Instead, why not make our own planet future-proof? If survival and continuation of the human race is our ultimate goal - I'm sure a lot of ground-breaking work can be done in that direction.

    Plus, where does this end? We can't fix problems on Earth and we're not setting up step on Mars to began the destruction of that planet as well?

    I know I sound too negative for an engineer 😀 ; but I'm totally stupefied by this gross waste of money and resources on finding water on Mars.
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  • Shreyas Sule

    Member • Jun 2, 2015

    As of now, we have proof that there is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/apr/13/nasas-curiosity-rover-finds-water-below-surface-of-mars" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Nasa's Curiosity rover finds water below surface of Mars | Science | The Guardian</a> in the form of liquid brine. Even though this water is not potable and the exact quantities of water below Martian surface is unknown, there is a high possibility of underground water pool or river systems. If we were to colonize Mars, we will need to build artificial domes in early stages and #-Link-Snipped-#are underway.

    Rather than cutting short budgets for space research, I think all nations should drastically reduce huge expenditures on defense equipment.
    Sums up perfectly: #-Link-Snipped-#
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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • Jun 2, 2015

    Shreyas Sule
    I think all nations should drastically reduce huge expenditures on defense equipment.
    That will lead to mass unemployment. Defence industry basically drives economies for major 'developed' countries. But that's another topic altogether.
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  • Hell Boy

    Member • Jun 2, 2015

    "Interstellar" movie may depict the necessity 😎. And also we could use the resources from mars for the technology development there itself... and process the information to earth... for a better earth. . 😨
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  • Shashank Moghe

    Member • Jun 3, 2015

    Shreyas Sule
    As of now, we have proof that there is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/apr/13/nasas-curiosity-rover-finds-water-below-surface-of-mars" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Nasa's Curiosity rover finds water below surface of Mars | Science | The Guardian</a> in the form of liquid brine. Even though this water is not potable and the exact quantities of water below Martian surface is unknown, there is a high possibility of underground water pool or river systems. If we were to colonize Mars, we will need to build artificial domes in early stages and #-Link-Snipped-#are underway.

    Rather than cutting short budgets for space research, I think all nations should drastically reduce huge expenditures on defense equipment.
    Sums up perfectly: #-Link-Snipped-#
    This very article suggest that the water , if found (Curiosity calculated "estimates" of subsurface water identification), would be in the form of "tiny quantities between grains of sand". There is not a high possibility of underground pools/river systems.
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  • Shashank Moghe

    Member • Jun 3, 2015

    The need for space exploration and colonization is self explanatory, look at earthly migration. Even birds (who have much less thinking power than us evolved hums) know when to migrate, to serve their existence. We are going to run out of natural fossil fuel resources, clean water is already becoming a problem, recycling (unlike what they say) is not a free solution, non-traditional power resources are not sufficient (right now) to support the explosion of population if it continues at the same rate.

    Besides, the way you put it, it is not as if all the expenditure on everything else has been diverted to Martian colonization. If you talk particularly about sending humans to Mars, you must also know that all the projects (notably Mars One) is crowd funded. The space organizations are not supporting it by direct funding. I feel they ought to.

    Looking out farther into the future has always helped. Besides, research is never disconnected. Space exploration and research has a lot of implications on sustainable living here on Earth.

    Let us stop thinking for our generation alone, and make a liveable way for the generations to come. You and I both know, that the Earth is not going to be able to stay habitable for a very long time. Forget the cosmic timescales (when it is going to become a death-zone anyway), even in the timescale on which you and I live, environmental exploitation has a tangible and irreversible effect.

    While research is underway to make life more survivable on Earth, it will not hurt (rather reward heavily) if we knew our way around other extra-Earth options.
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  • rahul69

    Member • Jun 3, 2015

    Two things :
    One, see the rate at which human population is increasing, soon we'll need another planet to live, (sounds creepy, right).
    Second, everything which may first seem pointless (or even self destructive) may have useful applications, eg.Nuclear weapons were created for destruction but now being used for nuclear energy.
    So, being a believer, I choose to believe that, whatever happens, happens for good 😀
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  • Shreyas Sule

    Member • Jun 8, 2015

    Hope they don't screw up! 😉
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  • Ankita Katdare

    Administrator • Jun 8, 2015

    Thanks for sharing that. 😁 We are all space junkies and I think we will love it.
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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • Jun 8, 2015

    #-Link-Snipped-# - If they can land on the moon without screwing up, they can very well land on the Mars. 😉

    The argument that it's being done for 'migration' does not fit. If the humans are doing it for migration, why not migrate to the Moon which we have already, 'seemingly', conquered?

    Justifying an action for the sake of justification of actions ain't done. Why is NASA not going to the moon and why is ISRO preparing to go to the moon with Chandrayaan 2? ...just to get the information NASA ain't giving to other scientists?
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  • Shashank Moghe

    Member • Jun 9, 2015

    Moon is not big enough for all of us to migrate. Moon is too close to the Earth to remain completely unscathed should something happen to the Earth that might force us to leave. The Earth and the Moon is a very tightly coupled system. NASA, as is ISRO, might not provide all the details of their space projects to all the rest of the Earth. I am pretty sure ISRO does not divulge all the details to the public either.
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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • Jun 9, 2015

    Shashank Moghe
    Moon is not big enough for all of us to migrate. Moon is too close to the Earth to remain completely unscathed should something happen to the Earth that might force us to leave.
    The same applies to Mars. What if big Meteor strikes Mars? 😘
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  • Shashank Moghe

    Member • Jun 9, 2015

    Every planet in the solar system is probably facing that danger. When we reach Mars, we can look further. Mars is the maximum realistic leap we can take at this point, hence Mars. It is simple, a contingency plan which has a possibility of failure is always better than no contingency plan at all.
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  • msuresh444

    Member • Jun 9, 2015

    Kaustubh Katdare
    Huge amount of money, time and human efforts are being spent on colonising Mars. While we may be years away from actually having humans form colony on Mars, I've always wondered whether all of this is justified? The strong reasons that act in favour of setting up human colonies on Mars are:-
    • We might be hit by an asteroid or some object from space leading to total destruction of the planet; and hence we need a backup mechanism.
    • We need to satisfy our curiosity and prove to ourselves that we CAN indeed conquer Mars.
    • Satisfy our bloated ego.
    • ...and you may add other reasons that are in favour.
    While we know that no big object from space is hitting Earth anytime in near future. Why not use that time to advance our technology to have defence mechanisms so that we are capable of deflecting or destroying anything that poses a threat to us?

    I'm all game for advancement of science, knowledge, technology and engineering; but I firmly believe that all those efforts, time and money with the best brains available on the Earth may be deployed to save and protect our own planet.

    What's your take?
    Basically, lot of resources are required (money, tech, materials, money, personnel, work space, etc etc). People at present are at the brink of waging a war for these right now!
    It may be taken up as a challenge for a chunk of people on earth, but it should be thoroughly given a serious thought by, well, countries!
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