Should we be worried about going to the moon and mars or try to make earth better?

Answer 1

Make the earth a better world first.

Answer 2

Lets not pretend colonising planets is ever an option - the stars are too far away and Mars is more inhospitable than it is possible to imagine Earth could become with our worst efforts (it has almost no atmosphere, is freezing cold and is a perpetual desert).

But we have learned a lot through planetary exploration. Our modern communication and navigation systems all depend on satellites. Development of the microprocessor was accelerated by the need to make electronic small for space missions. The list goes on.

You simply cannot predict where the next great advance to benefit mankind will come from, but you can be sure it is more likely to come from people who are enthusiastic about what they are doing, and space explorers very on the obsessive.

So I agree, its not an eithr or. We should do both.

But we should balance our priorities by this:

We have just this one planet to live on - there are no second chances. And if you believe in God and that he gave us stewardship of it, then we will be judged for how we handle it and our fellow men. On both scores we are not yet high hitting.

Answer 3

Earth is a ticking time bomb. Whether from some catastrophic natural disaster or Nuclear war, the Earth's days are coming to an end sooner than later. No I'm not some doomsday scenario freak, I think it just takes common sense to put everything together (natural resources being depleted, booming world population, global warming, I could go on forever).

So, in my opinion, I think NASA and all other space agencies around the world will see their sphere of influence greatly increased over the next 50 years.

I already have my Mars trip booked... (yes, im kidding)

Answer 4

I often wonder the same thing. Why, when we have so many problems here are we worried about exploring other planets? What do we hope to gain by going back to the Moon or going to Mars, other than to be able to claim to be the first people to be there? Or is this laying the foundation for us to inhabit other planets?

I think there's WAY too many things that need attention here to be worrying about other planets just yet. And to consider the 1 in 100 chance the shuttle is going to have another accident...skip it!

Answer 5

If you want to spend your own time, effort, and money to make the earth "better" that is your choice.

If you want to spend your own time, effort, and money exploring the moon or mars that is also your choice.

Unless you are the one writing the check, your opinion should not matter. Focus one the issues where you can have an effect. Do not worry about the rest of it.

Answer 6

The trick is to make it profitable to go into space. The best ideas are slingshoting asteroids into low earth orbit to mine (a lot of people don't know that oxygen is trapped in a lot of those rocks). This would provide base materials for a space station that will serve as a launching point. Materials could also be used to construct solar arrays and the energy could be beamed down in microwaves to provide electricity for millions.

Any solution where the endpoint results in successful mining so we don't have to spend as much launching mass into space will get us there.

Answer 7

Science will benefit greatly. New technologies will be developed. However, given the prolems facing the US today, I believe the money will be far better spent on earth. We won't solve all the problems but we could possible put a good dent in some.

Answer 8

definintely try to make earth better BUT have an aspiration to reach beyond mars for the world is getting crowded !
Sooner or later gravity may give up on us and before we know it we'll be floating to mars coz the earth doesnt want us

Answer 9

There is no reason why we can't try for both. It's silly to think that if we stop the space program we'll be able to solve all our problems like war, poverty, crime, ext.
It seems a shame to delay progress beacuse we still haven't worked out the present. If we do, there will be NO progress. Ever.

Answer 10

We can't undo the damage we've already done to Earth, we should go to Mars!