Ok, we’ve had various discussions related to this, but this thread is intended to deal with one thing, the priorities for Mars missions. This would include what kind of missions should be sent, and in what order.

I will enumerate what I think are the most likely priorities so that they can be responded to by number. I’d appreciate it if responses can be kept to comments on the subject, without any personal comments such as “you don’t know what you are talking about” or “that’s your problem” or “you clearly haven’t done the research” etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. If we keep this civil, perhaps we can actually have a productive discussion.

These are posted in no particular order of priority. If there are any other suggestions to add to the list of priorities, I will try to add them. (although “edit” doesn’t always work).

1. Alien Life: Look for signs of alien life, either past or present.

2. National Pride: Get there first and show we are still number one in space. T\IMO, this was the primary reason for the early “space race”.

3. National Security: Get there first and set up military bases to prevent other countries from gaining a military advantage. This may have been one of the underlying reasons for the early “space race”.

4. National Territory: Get there first and claim all of Mars (or the prime real estate) for the USA.

5. Economic: Be the first to begin processing and using resources that may be on Mars for commercial purposes.

6. Security for Mankind: Set up a self-sufficient colony on Mars to continue the human race in case of a globally fatal catastrophe of any kind. That could be any catastrophe including, but not limited to, asteroid/meteor strike, massive volcanism, nuclear war, unstoppable epidemic, etc.

7. Just plain human curiosity. Sometimes we just have to know what is on the other side of the hill, or at the top of the mountain. Men have spent a lot of money for no other reason but this.

After the priority of missions can be established, then perhaps we can also discuss which missions would best support those priorities. Meanwhile, can we focus on the priorities of the missions? First things first.

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Reality: What a concept!……………………..><Ç(((Ç°>

8. Because its there "Adventure. Delight. Increasing the depth and breadth of human experience." (UK LeGuin).

9. International pride "Tomorrow, together, where might we not go?" (Frank Borman)

10. Impetus to technological development (George H W Bush, 1989)

1 is really a subset of 7.

Nation of choice can be substituted for USA in 4.

The intent of this thread was to have everyone list the choices in order of priority, highest priority first. Specify your criteria, such as “What I think the priorities should be”, or “What I think the actual priorities are now”, or “What the priorities will be in 10, 20, 30 years” etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

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Reality: What a concept!……………………..><Ç(((Ç°>

ICMO, the priorities should be:

6. Security for Mankind:
3. National Security:
4. National Territory:
5. Economic:
1. Alien Life:
7. Just plain human curiosity:
2. National Pride:
10. Impetus to technological development
9. International pride

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Reality: What a concept!……………………..><Ç(((Ç°>

I think Security For Humankind should come before National Anything.
In the semi-long run, Archeological Conservation of Human Artifacts on the surface would be something to focus on.

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Kai's home computer is broken and her posting may be eratic for a while - ToSeek
"The only way to explore the universe is to go and look." - Brian Cox
Well, the best way to find out is to go there and, find out. - Raven's Cry
'Evolution and science are one thing, but you don’t mess with Yoko Ono. Everybody knows that. ' - 386sx

The question is: What should the priority be, vs what is it likely to be? Many opinions have been offered, but realistically, what will be the inevitable driving force to get humans to Mars in person?

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Reality: What a concept!……………………..><Ç(((Ç°>

Priorities :

8. Because it is there , for the thrill of doing it.

7. Science exploration

1. Alien life in fact 1 is really a subset of 7 as said JC

10. Improving our technology. learning living in space by doing it.

I don't believe mars can be a lifeboat for Earth. The Earth future is on Earth.

I hope competition between the nations and war will not be brought to the heaven.

In decreasing order of importance

8 (if people can go to mars one day they will, even if there is no reason for it, just like climbing Everest)

1+7

9 nationalism is silly and regressive on the solar system scale

5 (assuming we can find anything to make money from)

6 (assuming we can settle there)

10 will happen anyway

The others I would not even dignify by mention

Jon

4, and I'm not an American.

The best thing that could happen for humanity's expansion into space is the US withdrawing from the Outer Space Treaty, claiming chunks of land for itself and doing something, however minimal, to defend it from foreign landings.

Rather provocative opinion , for a non American !

can you elaborate a little please ?

I think it's a pretty basic scenario, the U.S. has the money and industrialization to plant space bases on half a dozen planets and moons if we really made it a priority, especially with full military backing, and one thing that really motivates us is thinking that someone else is going to "take away" something we consider "ours".

ADDED: So it could be considered "good" overall for human spaceflight, even if it would be bad overall for international relations here on Earth.

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"If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction."
Shakespeare, Twelfth Night
Illuminati's Razor-The most complicatedly evil answer is usually the most correct answer. - Fazor
"Every book is a children's book if the kid can read." - Mitch Hedberg
"Distance doesn’t matter much in space, where if you just start a thing off with the right kind of shove, sooner or later it will get where you want it to go." -Frederik Pohl, Mining the Oort

A continuation of current multinational exploration would be even better.

Jon

I agree.

__________________
Kai's home computer is broken and her posting may be eratic for a while - ToSeek
"The only way to explore the universe is to go and look." - Brian Cox
Well, the best way to find out is to go there and, find out. - Raven's Cry
'Evolution and science are one thing, but you don’t mess with Yoko Ono. Everybody knows that. ' - 386sx

How big would the USA be today if we had adopted that policy in the 1820? Answer: Less than 1/3rd our present size.


http://teachpol.tcnj.edu/amer_pol_hist/fi/00000077.jpg

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Reality: What a concept!……………………..><Ç(((Ç°>

Yes, and other countries would be bigger. So? The situation presented is not analagous; our potential living space is not limited to a continent. Plenty of Universe for everyone.

__________________
"If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction."
Shakespeare, Twelfth Night
Illuminati's Razor-The most complicatedly evil answer is usually the most correct answer. - Fazor
"Every book is a children's book if the kid can read." - Mitch Hedberg
"Distance doesn’t matter much in space, where if you just start a thing off with the right kind of shove, sooner or later it will get where you want it to go." -Frederik Pohl, Mining the Oort

And the relevance is?????

Jon

Whatever you say. However, although the Universe may be essentially limitless, the only current practical planet to colonize is Mars, severely limiting the available off-planet realestate.

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Reality: What a concept!……………………..><Ç(((Ç°>

So who needs planets? Space habitats are more practical and have a clear title; whoever puts up the money to build it owns it. According to the Outer Space Treaty, although nations can't claim ownership of asteroids or moons, anyone who mines one can own whatever materials they remove (A wacky law birthed from Cold War politics) and can build what they want from it. Why bog down in a gravity well when 1-g is only a spin away?

__________________
"If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction."
Shakespeare, Twelfth Night
Illuminati's Razor-The most complicatedly evil answer is usually the most correct answer. - Fazor
"Every book is a children's book if the kid can read." - Mitch Hedberg
"Distance doesn’t matter much in space, where if you just start a thing off with the right kind of shove, sooner or later it will get where you want it to go." -Frederik Pohl, Mining the Oort

Geez, you don’t see the relevance? We find ourselves at a juncture in history, and a major juncture at that. While our forefathers did not necessarily grasp the full significance of laying stake to as much territory as possible when the circumstances presented the opportunity, it is fortunate (for the USA) that they chose to incorporate as much territory as possible into the Union. Relatively small decisions 200 years ago made tremendous differences today.

Imagine a lackadaisical approach to the colonization of Mars. The Chinese, or the Indians, or whoever, claim the majority of Mars as their territory. Although that may not seem significant now, a few hundred years down the road it could conceivably result in a dramatic change in the balance of power. Imagine if you will the Chinese telling the USA that the US colony is on Chinese land, and that they must leave immediately or pay taxes to China. Although there are some who would find this either humorous or possibly justice, I assure you that we would not take it lightly. IOW, it would be better to at least preeminently claim territory, than to be kicked out by others who were simply more aggressive in their approach.

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Reality: What a concept!……………………..><Ç(((Ç°>

Not really. The Moon has an area about the size of Africa. Mars has an area about the size of the landed area on Earth.

The ability to construct free-floating space habitats is irrelevant to the question of sovereignity of celestial bodies.

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Fitting a three-parameter curve of uncertain form to ten points with three exceptions certainly brings one to the far edge of the known world. -- Bradley Ephron