It's not as dry as you think

[WetDad]

For those who are not as geeky as me, NASA has just announced that there is running water on Mars. What an interesting game changer this is. I predict a renewed interest in space exploration.

[Porkchop]

This means the possibility of life still there raises exponentially. However, for all the allure of Mars, I still think we are messing up not starting by colonizing the moon first with permanent stations so we can learn what works and what doesn't BEFORE going as far away as a Mars trip.

[Patrick]

NASA forbade its astronauts from photographing the far side of the moon when they orbited it. MUFON (Mutual Unidentified Flying Object Network) requested personnel records from the U. S. Air Force's Space Command. Those records indicated that, of the 147,000 or so folks under that command, some 22,000 were listed as on "non-terrestrial" assignment. My guess is that there's a whole lot going on out there that would stupefy us if we knew.

[Porkchop]

NASA forbade its astronauts from photographing the far side of the moon when they orbited it. MUFON (Mutual Unidentified Flying Object Network) requested personnel records from the U. S. Air Force's Space Command. Those records indicated that, of the 147,000 or so folks under that command, some 22,000 were listed as on "non-terrestrial" assignment. My guess is that there's a whole lot going on out there that would stupefy us if we knew.

That sounds suspiciously like the Stargate movie franchise!!! I tend to not believe in conspiracy theories, because I don't believe our government is capable enough for that. I do believe that there are aliens, whether microbial or sentient, but I am not sure that we've found them yet.

[MSUSpartan]

There are plenty of photos of the far side of the moon. Some quite recent. Pretty much every probe we slingshot by takes a few shots if it's light.

[MSUSpartan]

I agree porkchop. Colonizing the mob would be a good first step. Only takes 3 days to get there. Mars takes around 6 months, and that's only when the planets are properly aligned.

[Porkchop]

I agree porkchop. Colonizing the mob would be a good first step. Only takes 3 days to get there. Mars takes around 6 months, and that's only when the planets are properly aligned.

Plus, with the moon if we have an issue the rescue could get there in time to save the personnel involved. As for Mars, I thought it was a year or more trip to get there?

[MSUSpartan]

I just looked it up. Apparently the low cost transfer orbit, given modern technology and a ship capable of transporting humans, is about 260 days. We could get humans there in about half that time of we wish, but it would take a lot more fuel and expense. However, you still have to wait for the planets to be aligned, which only happens every 1.6 years.

Neat footnote, the new horizons probe (fastest spacecraft ever built) can make the trip in 39 days.

[Porkchop]

I just looked it up. Apparently the low cost transfer orbit, given modern technology and a ship capable of transporting humans, is about 260 days. We could get humans there in about half that time of we wish, but it would take a lot more fuel and expense. However, you still have to wait for the planets to be aligned, which only happens every 1.6 years.

Neat footnote, the new horizons probe (fastest spacecraft ever built) can make the trip in 39 days.

That's neat information, thanks for sharing! It did support making the moon the first colony spot, rather than Mars though.