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The goal of Computer Science is to build something that will last at least until we've finished building it.
Is it worth it to put a manned crew on the craft? (Score:1)
After reading about all the effort and expense that went into fitting the craft with a bathroom, you have to wonder if it's worthwhile to include a human crew on these planned moon missions.
It certainly is, IF... (Score:5, Insightful)
you want human beings to ever be anything more than scurrying about on Earth becoming gradually better at killing each other until they eventually succeed or the sun burns out (your choice).
Here's the thing: ANY human voyage to any other place in the universe will be vastly more difficult and dangerous and require more time away from Terra Firma. Therefore, the Moon is a perfect place to learn what we need to learn, and to practice (and get good at) the things we will need to be excellent at in order to man
Re: (Score:2)
You conveniently did not mention the real obstacles to get to Mars: radiation and human physiology and human psychology. They are killers. The radiation from here to Mars is not the milk-toast we get around Earth which has the Van Allen belts. Mars has none. But that is not the biggest radiation problem, that is the radiation from the rest of the Universe which hates us. That's the real industrial strength radiation and we have no way to stop. Sure you can encase your vehicle in lead or water but then you h
Re:It certainly is, IF... (Score:2)
Now only if there was some way that they could bring enough water for the multi-month trip to Mars, and have that water also be used for secondary purposes like radiation shielding...
These are engineering problems. Engineers haven't started working on them outside of "well how about..." because we don't have any funding for manned Mars spacefilght, just the same as nobody was working on lunar landers until there was a manned spaceflight mission to put people on the moon.