Do you think Space Colinization will happen in your lifetime?

[Conspicuous Cultist]

Not really.
There will be exploration bases everywhere, but never a full colony. I can't see humanity surviving long enough as a species to achieve that.

Colonization is not a solution to the overpopulation problem, that's extremely dumb.

Well if we could dedicate a whole planet to being a food source it'd be a start in the right direction.

[haxartus]

Well if we could dedicate a whole planet to being a food source it'd be a start in the right direction.

Or, we could create a food that grows really fast and doesn't need specific conditions to survive. With like 1/1000000 of the effort required to colonize a planet.
Basically, if we can colonize a planet completely, we won't need to colonize it.

[Mummbles]

I think comet/ moon mining will come before colonization. Robots are just easier to keep alive.

[drwelfare]

No dont see myself living that long.
Wish we could spend money and time on things like that instead of welfare programs

[Aurabolt]

Not really.
There will be exploration bases everywhere, but never a full colony. I can't see humanity surviving long enough as a species to achieve that.

Colonization is not a solution to the overpopulation problem, that's extremely dumb.

Alot of folks said that centuries ago. And the Europe found the America. That kicked off the biggest landgrab since humankind first left Africa XD

Remember: Just 100 years ago, Flight itself was still experimental. Now there are 1,000+ aircraft in the air at any given time worldwide.


Right now, we know space travel is possible. What we need to work on is making it safer and more cost-effective. In that order.

NASA would like to establish a Lunar Outpost within the next 25 years (I believe they said by 2035). The moon would serve as the training ground to space missions further away. Right now it takes 7 months to send an unmanned ship from Earth to Mars. We got lucky and landed TWO Land Rovers on Mars and BOTH of them are in working order (Curiousity took a picture of the older one last year).

To your second point, I don't disagree but as one proponent of Space Colinization has been saying, mankind having a presence on multiple planets increases our chances of surival as a species. 1945 marked the first time in human history we gained the ability to end all life on Earth in an instant. As I'm sure everyone is aware, there are enough Nukes on Earth to wipe out all life 10,000 times over.

Human settlements offworld would just ensure our survival as a species.

[Osoroshii]

Nope. In order for that to happen, we need the general public to stop being morons and understand that space exploration and colonization is about a hell of a lot more than "HURR DURR ALIENS" and that the technology/discoveries birthed by space exploration make life better for everyone, and I don't see that happening any time soon because most of our elected leaders don't even understand it.

Maybe in another century or so, if we're lucky.

[Mahourai]

It's not going to happen within the forseeable future. Check back in, I dunno, a thousand years.

[melodramocracy]

Absolutely not.

[anakin57]

All I want during my lifetime (at 32) is to find other life out there, because I know it exists. Space colonization would be cool, but I don't expect that while I'm alive. That is, unless, those bright spots on Ceres turn out to be alien technology that's been watching us for the past few millenia!

[rpdrichard]

Missing the option "No because we'll be extinct due to killing each other, poisoning the planet to the point life is no longer sustainable or mix of both."

If we manage not to kill each other, anything is possible for the next generation

[anakin57]

Actually, as an addendum, I really think the Mars One thing will happen, simply bc of the genius way they have to finance it by making the entire thing a reality tv show. So I do think it will happen in my lifetime.

[Akaena]

sadly probably not but I hope one can wish..

[I Push Buttons]

When you get down to it, there's not much reason to colonize space other than proving we can do it. Harsh environments, death if you get a breach, lots of stuff have to be imported.

I think it might exist as an extreme sport.

If there are resources we need that we can't get on earth, let robots do the work.

The propagation of the species.

The more dispersed our population the less likely we are to be eradicated by some unforeseen circumstance.

[zephid]

It really depends on what you mean by colonization. Does a small permanent research base or similar on the moon count? I wouldn't say so. For me colonization involves settlements with plenty of civilians. And that will probably not happen within the next 100 years or so.

[Fencers]

Not a chance. Perhaps in my children's lifetime.

[IIamaKing]

I think we will see a small colony on mars in less than 60 years, putting me at 93, I think yes in my lifetime.

Will it be massive? No, maybe like 20 people.

[Deleted]

Maybe, but not for the average person.

That is one of the things i fear about a potential age reversing treatment. What will actual happen if a company discover a working product? Are they just going to hand it out for free to all of the worlds people? Are they going to sell a treatment for a billion dollars? If the breakthrough is made in China (which is likely ) will they share their findings with other nations scientists?
I can se some kinda of global panic happening if death by old age can be avoided - but only for the lucky few.

Ot. I personally agree with a few other in this thread. If we can not make a sustainable home for humanity on Earth, a planet with breathable air, beautiful nature and general perfect conditions for life, i dont see why we would have more luck on a desolate freezing cold planet where we would have to live in airtight biospheres.
Small bases for science purpose and even mining could be cool though.

[Haven]

Not until USA is taken down. Unilateral world is incapable of real development, because one dominating power stagnates while preventing the rest of the world from developing, protecting its privilege and control. Remember the Space Race? It happened in 60s, when there was competition between equals.

[jakeic]

I voted yes, and for the space station aspect. If we can get an operating, close to self sustaining station somewhere in between here and Mars, which is one of the plans out there if I remember correctly, that will open up SO many other doors to space exploration.

A couple of things...

1. the way in which ships travel through the solar system is to move from the orbit of the Earth into a more eccentric elliptical orbit that intersects the orbit of whatever object you're going to. This is called a transfer orbit, which is described further in this article under said name, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_maneuver

2. since the station would be in the middle of nothing, there would be no way to make it sustainable as there is a real glut of matter there. it wouldn't be able to fabricate its own parts, food, water, air, or fuel which would all be things that would be useful to ships that would stop there as well as important for the sustainability of the station.

3. the station wouldn't always be between the Earth and Mars because it would be orbiting at a different rate than the Earth and Mars.

[haxartus]

Space exploration is kind of hard unless we have Star Trek replicators. Then we can manufacture anything we need from hydrogen.