The first manned flight to Mars is scheduled within the next 12-15 years by NASA. (Sooner by certain other governments).
We have a crapload of things to do before then I guess, like finish the Space Station within a decade. We'd be there in 3-5 years if it were the great 'space race' of the 1960's, where we were trying to beat the communists.
There is no such rush nowadays.
I think it's important to explore, it's in our blood, and will never be stopped.. The cure for AIDS could be on Mars, or in some chemical found somewhere else. We have to move ahead to learn more about what's out there, and to learn more about ourselves. We have the resources to do that AND help our own people on Earth, we just choose not to do that and it's horrible!
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^Alien^
Administrator / Owner
["Everything was
true. God
was an alien. Oz really
is over the
rainbow. ...and Midian is where the
monsters live." -Nightbreed]