Why do you think us humans have not yet been to Mars? We went to the moon decades ago...?

Question

Are scientists lazy?

Yes... but why is it taking so long? Shouldn't scientists be figuring this out? It's been decades! Not days. Are today's scientists less intelligent or less interested?

Answer 1

The problems in getting to Mars are primarily financial, not scientific. If the money was available, we could develop the technology to get there. Going to Mars involves traveling 150 to 200 times further than going to the Moon. It's like the difference between going around the block and going to a neighboring city.

For the most part, planetary scientists would rather send unmanned probes like Spirit and Opportunity, because this makes much better use of their limited financial resources and provides a steady stream of useful information.

Answer 2

A trip to Mars is a much more difficult thing than a trip to the moon. The moon is only about a three day trip, whereas Mars is at least six months away. Astronauts require food, water, warmth, and oxygen to live, and it all needs to be packed on board the spacecraft - there are no mini-marts along the way. This means the ship has to be MUCH larger than a moon vessel. It must also carry consumibles for the stay on Mars, which is likely to be about a year in duration, and for the return journey. That's a total of TWO YEAR's worth of supplies they must carry! Along with all the scientific equipment, etc., that would make the trip worthwhile. Not to mention rocket fuel! A trip to Mars is a HUGE undertaking with current technology - I say wait until we can do it with nanotech. This would make it a much easier task, with a greater chance for success.

Answer 3

Lack of funding is the main problem, starting with the Reagan presidency and continuing through the Bush years.

NASA has been forced, due to budget cuts, to explore the Solar System with unmanned probes. They did an excellent job with the money they had.

There were problems with the Space Shuttle also because of lack of proper funding. They had to settle for a poorer but cheaper design.

Now that the shuttle fleet is aging, a new fleet is being designed and tested. This takes time. When you rush this stuff, you end up with Apollo 1 and Columbia disasters.

It is a long journey to Mars. It might seem like a short and easy trip for you, so you end up showing your shortsighted ignorance by calling space technicians and theorists lazy.

It takes an enormous amount of planning. A manned mission to Mars was not even on the board until Bush Jr revealed his proposal in 2004!

If you think people are being lazy, I'm sure that NASA would be happy to review your application to help.

Answer 4

Money! Money! Money!

During those exciting days of Apollo, when space enthusiasm ran high, Mars was slated for about 1984. That may have been possible if the impetus had continued,. But Apollo 18-20 missions were cancelled for lack of taxpayer funds. Mars would be a whole different ballgame – immensely more expensive than the moon shots.

If you are not a taxpayer, just wait until you are, then you decide where your tax money goes – health, education, police, defence, foreign aid, or space.

Remember that manned missions are massively more expensive than probes. ISS and shuttle missions to orbit and deep space probes are about all NASA can get funding for.

Simple as that.

Answer 5

I don't think that todays scientists are to lazy,they are restricted by finance.With the worlds economy being so restrictive there is less money available for these projects,but don't worry we will get there.They have already planned a trip to mars.
I believe that when we do get there they will find that there was at one time life on the planet.I have seen photos of the surface of mars that are now top secret,and believe me there is more there than whats been stated and that's why they want to go there.Otherwise why put so much money into a project to go to a barren planet.

Answer 6

It takes 3-5 months to go to Mars and return.

You ready to spend 3-5 months in something the size of a Piper Cub.

40 feet by 12 feet with several other people.

You ready to live INSIDE of a EFFICENCY apartment for 3-5 monts and NEVER GOING OUTSIDE
You ready to live there with 4-6 other people!

A 30 x 20 box with 4-6 other people for 3-4 months.

Answer 7

The main reason--to be blunt--is that we have politicians who would rather spend $500 billion on pointless wars than 1/10 that to develop the required technology--despite the fact that the beneficial applications that we already know are there would pay for a Mars project 10 times over.

Answer 8

We're not lazy. Most of us would dearly LOVE to go to other planets. However, no government has been willing to allocate the amount of funding needed to pursuit the endeavor. Space missions are exceedingly expensive (engineers don't work for free). They barely let us keep the ISS going as it is. When a government is finally persuaded by its public to fund space exploration, we will go. Until then, we can only hope.

Answer 9

For one thing, it would take MONTHS to get to Mars. If anything bad happened along the way or once the astronauts got there, it would take MONTHS to get help. NASA is not known for its fast turn around time. It's much safer to send unmanned probes.

Think about how long it took to get another shuttle up to the ISS after the Columbia disaster. And that thing is in ORBIT AROUND EARTH.

Answer 10

It's all down to funding. And that's why we have constant wars instead of the funding to develop new technology and go to other planets and satellites. We're not due to return to the moon until 2018, and we're not slated for Mars until 2037! That's THREE DECADES away! (And I thought *I* procrastinated!)