Mars is the ultimate dead end. The human race isn’t getting into space until someone figures out how to make a buck up there (other than communications satellites). Ask yourself this question – What will be produced on Mars and sold for a profit on Earth? We need to get away from the idea that we need to go to a PLACE, like Mars or the Moon, and understand that once you get into space, you are there! Unlimited, free solar energy, 24 hrs a day; unlimited resources in the earth-crossing asteroids and no gravity (90% of the Golden Gate bridge serves no purpose other than to counteract gravity). We can build structures, factories and whole industries that will turn our 3 trillion dollar economy into a 30 or 300 trillion dollar economy. That’s what it will take to convert third-world countries into efficient, 21st century societies. Read G.K. O’Neill on solar power satellites and J.S. Lewis on “Mining the Sky”. To get a pound into high Earth orbit (delta-v = 10 km/s) costs NASA $10K. Starting from there, the round trip delta-v to: Mars=10.5 km/s, Moon=4.7 km/s, asteroid 1982DB=0.12 km/s.
Do the math.
Although I will concede that the Helium-3 on the Moon is worth going after. It’s the perfect fusion fuel.
