"Heated debates about how a Martian society might function erupted in the corridors. Spirited discussions were held at impromptu meetings in the venue's bar and restaurant. Everyone was buzzing with the excitement that the next few years could (could) see an injection of global interest in sending a manned mission to Mars.
Why? For starters, representatives from Elon Musk's Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) were there discussing the private sector's plans to develop the means to send humans to the Red Planet.
This comes hot on the heels of Musk's grand announcement that SpaceX has its sights set on Mars. Naturally, enthusiasts have latched onto SpaceX's dreams, and for the first time I heard serious discussions about using commercial heavy lift rockets to take habitats to the Red Planet's surface."
Read the article here.
UPDATE: And read Dr. Michio Kaku's recent views on Mars here.
(Photo credit, "Ice on Mars": ESA)
I'm fascinated by the idea of Mars colonization. But you couldn't get me into the rocket to go there!
ReplyDeleteHmmm... well, I might go... but only in a professional capacity - as an archaeologist - meaning I guess I'm referring to another lifetime!
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to go since about the age of 10. I would go in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteK. - really, from age 10?
ReplyDeleteMy first "Golden Book" was a book about the planets... I guess what it boils down to is that I never thought I would see people on Mars or on any planet within my lifetime. And I guess I still don't.
Yes. By age 11, I was determined to be an astronaut (never mind that in the US at the time, women were not allowed in the profession; I didn't discover this detail until later). My friend Linda and I talked of it often. I got into trouble in the 6th grade one day...while musing on the subject, I wrote on the side of one of my text books: Karen and Linda go to Mars. My teacher held it up and read it aloud - everyone laughed. I was horribly embarrassed but not at all dissuaded. I just kept it to myself. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karen, that's a cute story... and actually sounds like the title of a real story: "Karen and Linda Go To Mars". You should've told the teacher that you were writing a book...(I was never so enterprising as a kid. I guess I knew I 'd have to settle on just being a "space cadet").;-)
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