# Manned spacemission to Mars? Yeah, right. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 7, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164 "2004-01-07T06:06:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TartPops](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TartPops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TartPops)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/1 "2004-01-07T06:06:40Z")
In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=233029) there is talk of a manned spaceflight mission to Mars. I believe there were some other threads about it on the boards a while back, but wasn’t able to find them. Anyway, **Forget about it.** For a couple of reasons. 1. We no longer possess a rocket powerful enough to send humans even as far as the Moon, let alone Mars. The last rocket that could, the **Saturn 5** was retired more than 30 years ago and has never been replaced. Nor could we quickly build a new one because, amazingly enough, the plans for **Saturn** launchers were destroyed as part of a NASA housecleaning exercise.\* 2)President Shrub’s father, also called for a manned mission to Mars in a moment of passing guiddiness, but the idea was quietly dropped when it was worked out that it would cost at least $450 BILLION and probably result in the deaths of all the crew (their DNA torn to tatters by high-energy solar particles from which they could not be shielded.)\* So, give it up, 'cause it ain’t gonna happen, not with Shrub having dropped us down into the deepest pits of debt thanks to his fabulous combination of tax cuts **and** spending increases. \*Citation for these is Bill Bryson’s book A Short History Of Nearly Everything ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/2 "2004-01-07T06:44:39Z")
I just gotta say, I love your optimism… Why couldn’t you say this in the thread? Why is Bill Bryson right and many experts wrong? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/3 "2004-01-07T07:11:31Z")
The whole idea of manned missions is stupid. The only worthy purpose is to gain information, which robotics can perform as well if not better. The only thing a person can do on Mars that a machine can’t is die. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/4 "2004-01-07T07:22:28Z")
Puny humans, you will never reach my planet! ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/5 "2004-01-07T07:23:01Z")
So to sum up **TardPops** post: 1. A mission to Mars is highly impractical. There is extreme danger to the crew, and estimated cost (a decade ago) would have been 450 billion dollars. 2. It is GW’s fault. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/6 "2004-01-07T07:23:40Z")
Odd nobody noticed they didn’t have Saturn rockets _before_ the US started their lunar missions. Someone shoulda called it off right then! :rolleyes: A manned martian mission is certainly unnecessary and unfeasable for the next few decades, but it is (barring global disasters) inevitable. When our technology is judged to be sufficient, it will be done. Besides, a Mars mission would be an international effort - I’m sure the world can afford 450 billion or whatever it would come out to be. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/7 "2004-01-07T09:21:30Z")
So, somebody tell me again, why? Why do all these Star Trek geeks get their panties all wet and lose all sight of reason whenever somebody starts talking about manned missions to other planets? Why are we going? What do we want? What do we hope to achieve? ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/8 "2004-01-07T09:29:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by threemae \* > \*\*So, somebody tell me again, why? > > Why do all these Star Trek geeks get their panties all wet and lose all sight of reason whenever somebody starts talking about manned missions to other planets? Why are we going? What do we want? What do we hope to achieve? \*\* I dunno, Why did we go to the moon? How much return did that investment give off? Bah, it probably has something to do with the indomitable nature of the human spirit or some such. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/9 "2004-01-07T10:37:53Z")
I agree that at the current (and near future) level of technology, a manned flight is incredibly risky and likely unneccessary. Kind of like when there’s a landing party on a strange and (eventually) hostile planet and there’s Kirk, Spock & McCoy. OK You’re risking the 1st & 2nd in command AND the ship’s doctor? Sheesh! Having said that, there’s no reason to believe we couldn’t overcome those technological obstacles eventually. ---
**Author:** ![TartPops](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TartPops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TartPops)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/10 "2004-01-07T11:50:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brutus \* > \*\*So to sum up **TardPops** post: > > 1. A mission to Mars is highly impractical. There is extreme danger to the crew, and estimated cost (a decade ago) would have been 450 billion dollars. > > 2. It is GW’s fault. \*\* **TardPops**. Ooooooo, what a stinging and deadly insult. And how original. Tell me, Brutus, did Mommy help you come up with that one? I bet she did. Christ, that’s the kind of namecalling that one should be done with by the 4th grade. but then, this is Brutus we’re talkin’ about, so allowances have to be made. Let’s see what else of your pointless post is there to deal with… oh yeah, your 2) point is bullshit in that I never made that claim, you just pulled that one right out of your stinking ass. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/11 "2004-01-07T12:49:49Z")
Even the newbies manage to get **Brutus’** number pretty quickly, don’t they?! He’s the grade-school bully, grown up and plunked down in front of a PC. If you dare to criticize the current administration, he’ll try to steal your lunch money. Don’t be too hard on him. He’s doing the best he can with what he’s got. ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/12 "2004-01-07T13:05:34Z")
Well, seeing as they lost Beagle 2 on landing, I wouldn’t get my hopes up about a British manned expedition to Mars. They might find a pyramid there though, and Tim Robbins floating about in the atmosphere. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/13 "2004-01-07T13:10:43Z")
**Tardpops** , you will find many fellow hypocrites here at SDMB. You’ll get along famously with them, I wager. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/14 "2004-01-07T13:50:33Z")
See what I mean? ---
**Author:** ![TartPops](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TartPops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TartPops)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/15 "2004-01-07T14:12:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Early Out \* > \*\* He’s doing the best he can with what he’s got. \*\* Which isn’t saying very much, is it?😉 😛 ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/16 "2004-01-07T14:26:29Z")
I’m afraid Brutus has a point this time. Anyway, humans expand, find new places, and live there. That’s what we do. Its our history. If we can find a way to live in the antarctic, we’ll do it. If we can find a way to live on Mars, we’ll do it. The hard part is getting there. ---
**Author:** ![Swampwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Swampwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swampwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/17 "2004-01-07T14:48:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by smiling bandit \* > \*\*I’m afraid Brutus has a point this time. > \*\* ::blink, blink:: Where? Where he makes fun of a poster’s name 'cos he doesn’t agree with him? Where he throws out the unfounded hypocricy jab? Where he unnecessarily re-states part of the OP? or where he mis-states the other part? Or did he admit that he’s a putz, and I missed that? 'cos then he’d have a point. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/18 "2004-01-07T14:49:32Z")
Back to your OP, **TartPops** – is your argument that it’s not a serious proposal NOW (fully agreed), or that it’s not gonna happen EVER? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/19 "2004-01-07T14:55:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by threemae \* > **Why do all these Star Trek geeks get their panties all wet and lose all sight of reason whenever somebody starts talking about manned missions to other planets?** Yup, because only Star Trek geeks care about space exploration. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164/20 "2004-01-07T15:07:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by blessedwolf \* > \*\*::blink, blink:: > > Where? Where he makes fun of a poster’s name 'cos he doesn’t agree with him? > Where he throws out the unfounded hypocricy jab? > Where he unnecessarily re-states part of the OP? > or where he mis-states the other part? > > Or did he admit that he’s a putz, and I missed that? 'cos then he’d have a point. \*\* Do you know what ‘hypocrisy’ means? Apparently not, but since it is a fairly big word, I won’t hold it against you. An example of ‘hypocrisy’ would be taking umbrage at namecalling, when a few posts/threads back you refer to ‘President Shrub’ and ‘Troglodyte’. See how that works? Decry a certain act, then perform the very same act (or vice-versa), and voila! ‘Hypocrisy’! And I misstated nothing. **TardPops** clearly blames GW. If any of the words in the following quote befuddle you, ask your teacher for help! > [@](#): > > So, give it up, 'cause it ain’t gonna happen, not with Shrub having dropped us down into the deepest pits of debt… See? If only it weren’t for that pesky GW, by golly, we would be well on way to Mars! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manned-spacemission-to-mars-yeah-right/223164.md?page=2)