Far be it for me to downplay the importance of space exploration, but at the rate we're going, Earth will become uninhabitable to humans long before we have any realistic chance of colonising Mars.
I seem to recall reading that a population of about 100,000 would be needed to assure enough genetic diversity for the colonists. Building a shelter that could house that many, not to mention provide food, water, air and radiation protection would be a colossal undertaking.
Hell, just getting the required materials there would take years, and the price tag would be eye-watering.
Humans being humans, and this being a profit-free enterprise, I just can't see this getting the support it needs until it's far too late. A civil war over who gets to go before the project is even half way done seems far more likely.
vStubbs42 t1_jcwvh3r wrote
Reply to Call to Mars by Dependent-Client6828
Far be it for me to downplay the importance of space exploration, but at the rate we're going, Earth will become uninhabitable to humans long before we have any realistic chance of colonising Mars.
I seem to recall reading that a population of about 100,000 would be needed to assure enough genetic diversity for the colonists. Building a shelter that could house that many, not to mention provide food, water, air and radiation protection would be a colossal undertaking.
Hell, just getting the required materials there would take years, and the price tag would be eye-watering.
Humans being humans, and this being a profit-free enterprise, I just can't see this getting the support it needs until it's far too late. A civil war over who gets to go before the project is even half way done seems far more likely.