We're also going to be facing huge challenges over the next thirty years, such as finding a sustainable, cost effective, substitute to every fossil fuel product, which will keep the scientific community occupied.

We're also going to have to find ways to produce more food for an ever-growing population with a changing climate.

What I'm saying is that supporting a colony on Mars, or even the moon, won't exactly be top priority.

I have seen things like that, but that is not what I am interested in, that requires a runway, whereas I want the kind of flying cars as seen in Star Wars

I have a school book from 1977 that mentions the planned permenantly manned space station on the moon and another orbitting the Earth by the end of the century.

So I'd say 'fat chance'.

They are spending too much money searching for a bearded hobo in Afghanistan to afford it anyway.

Nah, we've solved that. We have genetically modified bacteria that eat food and poop oil. It will kill several millions as the price of food goes up but hey, what are a few hungry ******s compared to my roaring, gas-guzzling SUV.

Possible so, but surely the moon will come first

I don't think a permanent outpost to Mars is feasible without nuclear propulsion, and we gave that up in the 1960s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Orion_(nuclear_propulsion)

I hope so!

How long are you expecting to live?

As it stands, Mars is just too far away, and offers too little for it to happen soon/quickly. If you were going to live another.....65-70 years, permanent colonies may be near to reality. However, what's the romanticism about Mars? The moon is a much more viable and valuable destination that will see colonization sooner. It's a lot closer, and should see a research station by 2030, and a permanent settlement by 2050.

mrstickball said: How long are you expecting to live? As it stands, Mars is just too far away, and offers too little for it to happen soon/quickly. If you were going to live another.....65-70 years, permanent colonies may be near to reality. However, what's the romanticism about Mars? The moon is a much more viable and valuable destination that will see colonization sooner. It's a lot closer, and should see a research station by 2030, and a permanent settlement by 2050.

The Moon is way too harsh. Mars has some hope of eventually producing goods.

Really, lunar regolith is ultra-nasty stuff. And there ain't much else. At current prices interplanetary economy is a dellusion, but mars settlements could get a lot done with mars resources.

Fusion.