Digest Number 52

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In the argument of which comes first - go to Mars or Develop Near
Earth resources - I think Mike Combs hit the nail on the head in one
of his previous postings when he said:-

"I think if we learned anything from Apollo it's that we'd best not
make our future space plans based on public excitement, as such
excitement can quickly die, leaving us with no sustained presence.

I prefer space goals with potential for economic usefulness, as I
consider them to be sustainable regardless of the changing level of
public interest or boredom."

I think that after apollo and the ISS the public will be fed-up with
money sucking high profile grandiose space missions that give very
little economic feedback to the world. I think that the next major
project should be to get SSP's up and working. Once Space activities
can make money for themselves they will be self-sustainable.Also once
the public see that Space can bring benefits to them directly and
relatively quickly (i.e. environmentally friendly renewable energy
source of virtually limitless amounts) then they would not be
resentful of further public money being spent on space research. Once
Space starts giving economic benefits then the age-old barrier of
space reseach and exploration costing too much is broken.

Then we can get on with building space habitats in Near Earth space
which will enable us to build things on a scale only dreamed of
before now. This will include large spacecraft for exploration of
Mars and the rest of the Solar system.

Although I agree with Mitchell James that robotics will be an
invaluable tool in achieving this - human presence in space is
essential - because the desire eventually is for man himself to move
out into the rest of the Solar system.

As for a Mars Mission, although it would be very exciting, as stated
by other people it is analogous to Apollo. Public interest would soon
wane, and without any space infra-structure set up we would be back
to square one. The mission would be viewed as just another National
prestige/publicity stunt and waste of money and I can see no prospect
of an immediate economic return from such a mission.

Once the skills of manufacture in space and closed ecosystems are
perfected in Near Earth Space then going to Mars will make much more
sense. A cheaper better and much more sustainable program of Mars
exploration/colonisation could take place.

Mark.