Would You Like to See a Human on Mars?

Today I read about a new Hulu series called “The First” that’s all about the first manned expedition to Mars. It plays a little bit like a prequel to “The Martian,” though with more serious overtures.

I’m sitting here watching a beautiful trailer, and I find myself thinking, “Can we please just do this? Why haven’t we put a human on Mars?”

I was almost surprised by this reaction. Upon further reflection, I think it’s because it seems like one of these things that we’ve relegated to the world of science fiction even though it’s perfectly attainable in real life. It’s as if we’re still riding horses and reading about cars instead of actually just making them.

Granted, going to Mars requires a monumental expense. Perhaps we could view this as an opportunity instead of a deterrent: What if NASA and its various counterparts around the world teamed up to put a human–or a few humans–on Mars? We could come together as a world to make it happen, kind of like in the book Seveneves. That could have a positive impact on mankind.

According to this article, the main impediment to a Mars mission is politics. So perhaps it would need to be privately funded. I’m fine with that.

I must admit that a part of me wonders if we should figure out Earth’s issues before we head to the stars. NASA’s 2018 budget is $19 billion–that money could go a long way to help fight poverty, for example. Though, the United States also allocates $1 trillion in discretionary spending to the military. Perhaps Trump’s Space Force wouldn’t be such a bad thing if it got us to Mars.

I hope we make it happen. I respect your opinion if you differ (feel free to comment), but that’s me. I’d like to see a human step foot onto Mars in my lifetime. It’s a big universe.

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