This news came out a while ago now, so I don't know if many of you know this already or not, but it would seem that we (mankind) are going to Mars. A program called Mars One is getting set up to send a colonization ship to Mars in a measly ten years! (Sure, that may sound long to some of you, but odds are it's still well within your lifetime, and as far as reality is concerned ten years is a pretty darn short amount of time!) There's somebody else who's currently looking for a couple of people to take the multi-year journey just to go to Mars and back again. That trip should be happening in the much nearer future.

I don't know about any of you, but when I heard this news I was ecstatic! I mean really, people are actually getting up and ready to go to MARS! This is the stuff that you read about in science fiction that's always been so far off from reality! Technology is racing along incredibly, and many things which we once thought impossible are becoming near realities! The future is now! (Cheesy line, I know )

Really, I just want your reactions to this. What do you folks think about the fact that people are finally setting up to actually go to the red planet?

While I think it is an interesting opportunity to go to another planet I wouldn't volunteer for that trip. The chances of not getting back alive are pretty high. And I don't imagine there will be too much accomplished with the first few trips.

I think that it is amazing! I been waiting for us to go on another planet! I do agree with Gee, though; I would NOT want to volunteer for that trip. I would be too worried about keeping my sanity out there... Would have to bring a LOT of reading material. Would there be enough energy to bring some video games or would it drain too much from the ship? Contact with Earth would probably be slow as well. If the journey were only a few months away, it might be not so bad, but a few years to go there and back again just sounds painfully lonely and/or boring.

ruesen :
Lol, if you were in space you'd play videogames? Wasted opportunity man.
I would be happy enough tbh. The guys on the ground work really hard to make it safe for the people going on these trips.

Well I have to say, ruesen has a point. It would be awesome to be in space, but after a few years the novelty would wear thin. lol Even the most estatic person would eventually get used to it, and thus get bored with it. Also, It'd be too dangerous for me to be willing to try until they have some more experience with it. It is cool though.

dementor 93 :

Can you link to this news? It would be sweet.

All news I have lately heard of Mars expeditions is that some rich guy is gathering up money for a mission where they would not even land on Mars but would go around it with people on board. The news said they are especially looking for old married couples for the mission, since the space inside the spacecraft is going to be small and you would have to stand the person next to you for two years. And in case something goes wrong, you would not come back.

Brigand :
http://mars-one.com/en/
Is the link to the site planning a settlement there. There is also what you mentioned: the plan to send a married couple there and back again.

I agree with what has been said: I wouldn't want to be one of the ones going to Mars. But it's exciting to know that we're on the threshold of actually being able to send people there! I would love to be Earth-side helping to work on projects like this. Maybe (with any luck/blessing) in a few years, I will.

I think exploration anywhere is amazing because it pushes our limits and gives us a greater understanding of the universe, that and the way the population is going we might habitat another planet in the future so the sooner we look the better

Yeah! Finally!

Its cool that they want to put a man on mars, but I don't see the point. We can get everything we need through probes, spending money to put a man up there serves no real purpose.

Barathemos : I get that, but spending all of the money to go to Mars when we already have everything we can get from mars for that is pointless.

ender44 :   Yea, but these rich people have enough money, let them spend it how they want.

I think it is a great idea, after all there was once water on mars so if we could find a supply now it would be relatively to stay there for prolonged periods of time, the only down side is the sheer amount of risks. That said I am not familiar with our capabilities in terms of space travel but I would hope that they wouldn't launch it if there was a serious threat to safety.

I think its great that this is happening if I could I would like to go to space for once just to look at the earth and other planets

Yeah, it’s been in the topic for like ever and I think they’ll find a way to colonize the red planet. If they’re going to have people starting to live there, I can tell you, it won’t be me living there because the cost to live on Mars will be a tiny bit too much for me.

I think that's an amazing breakthrough and I can't wait for it to happen. I'm sure when/if it does it will be all over the news every day.