The Moon or Mars? That is the question.

Since we are not yet able to go to "Infinity and beyond!" (credits to Buzz Lightyear!) we have to settle with our neighborhood to explore for now.

So, the question is: Should we abandon NASA's goal of going to the Moon first and head directly to Mars, or maybe an asteroid rendezvous?

Me? I'm torn between just being happy that NASA is doing anything with regards to space! With talk of the US abandoning the International Space Station after all the effort and money that has been spent on getting it up there is ridiculous! I look at it as a stepping stone to the stars, it's there, let's use it to the fullest and continue on to bigger and better things. It's definitely sexier to send people to Mars, but I'm not so sure we've got the technology down to a point that it has reasonable risk. The Moon may be a better place to learn about routine space travel and its consequences without putting a highly trained crew at risk.

For me the pace is too slow and I would like to see the budget increased to make it possible to develop the new technologies needed to travel to the planets. It all comes down to having the right technology to do the job and that ultimately boils down to money! More money, better management, incorporating private companies in the program to find and develop the commercial benefits of space and the new technology will come very quickly, and before you know it we will be watching humans taking their first steps on another body in the solar system.

What do you think?

-RC Davison

The main advantage I see for the Moon isn't necessarily budget concerns or even for testing out long term space living (though both are perfectly respectable advantages) - it's that the Moon would make a pretty cozy base. You've got low gravity, making it more efficient to launch and land spacecraft, you've got a source of fuel to mine, you've got plenty of sun, you've got zero geologic and meteorologic instability, you've even potentially got water to keep the whole operating going! If we'll be making frequent spaceflights, as most space enthusiasts seem quite keen on, having a base nearby on the Moon seems like a logical step. Overextending all the way to Mars before we have the proper infrastructure in place seems unwise. Possible, certainly, but unwise.

I'm afraid the question is going to be moot during the current administration. They are not going to fund a vigorous manned program of anykind.

If they did, I vote for the asteroids. There they be treasures!

Ally, all very good points and I think I agree that it's a logical stepping stone. Our biggest problem (or maybe it's just my impatience!) has to do with the snail's pace that we are moving at in getting out there - anywhere! If the money was there to fund the research we would be on the Moon already and Mars would be our next step. We messed up royally when the US let the space program fall to the wayside at the end of Apollo. Imagine if we kept up that pace what we might be doing today!

And to George's comment: I'll take an asteroid trip! What we need is someone to get out there and find them laden with precious stones and metals. Commercial development for getting into space would skyrocket then!

Playing devil's advocate here, I say we just push through and go to Mars. Human history is full of biting off challenges bigger than we can chew, but we always find a way to make it happen. From building the great pyramids to the invasion of Normandy, humans can conquer even the most insurmountable feat. Look what we did in a few short years in the 1960s with rudimentary computers and a limited knowledge of space -- we landed on the Moon in the first place.

Granted, the motivation needs to be present, we need to stay on task. It took us 66 years to go from the first fixed-wing flight to the success of the Apollo missions. In the following 40 years, we've made only limited advancements in aeronautics. However, when we put a challenge in front of courageous individuals, we can change human history.

What Mars has waiting for us and exactly how we'll get there is unimportant. The glory of taking on that challenge and prevailing is the reward. As far as space exploration, Mars is our Mount Suribachi. We need to put the American flag (and the flags of the world) on the highest ridge on a foreign planet -- proudly and successfully, no matter the cost. Only then will we be victorious.

And then we look to Europa...

Jason, I agree with your enthusiasm. We can accomplish great things but we need the motivation. Unfortunately, I don't see a lot of motivation to move out into space at this time. Humans tend to rally when faced with significant challenges as the past indicates but I don't see that challenge yet. Global warming is going to happen but it is going to take affect too slowly to motivate most people to action, plus it most likely won't mean the end of civilization for us.

I would like to think that we could muster the enthusiasm and monetary funds to push out of our cocoon and set foot on Mars and beyond with out the dire consequences of a civilization-ending event. "To infinity and beyond"!! Let's get going!