In order for there to be continued further reaching manned spaceflight beyond mars, there is going to need to be a major breakthrough in how to escape earths gravity. My money is on a space elevator. I just don't know if it will be achievable in the next 45 years. If achieving earth orbit becomes relatively cheap, then amazing things will happen both in scientific exploration and space tourism.

If we are stuck with massive chemical rockets to achieve obit, then I believe we will still have a presence in space, it just won't be a manned one. Technology for robotic probes is increasing at such an amazing pace that incredible discoveries will continue to occur. Soon it will almost be like we are there. We will be able to watch video (grant it not real time) of other planets. Cover great distances on the planet surface each day and explore vastly different terrain.

I'm hoping that we have the breakthrough that allows us to have manned exploration. However, I'm not so sure I want to push ahead with the current idea on how to get to Mars at the expense of robotic exploration and other scientific discovery.

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"Inconceivable!"
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