No. My answer won't be a surprise if you've seen my other answers here, I've been saying for ages now that we should stop and think hard before we colonize Mars because
1. It's far more valuable as a pristine planet which many exobiologists think is likely to have microbial ETs - unique forms of life unlike anything we have on Earth. Most are likely to be hard to spot "cryptic" lifeforms inside rocks and a cm or so below the surface. Likely to be some decades before we have a clear idea of what there is and where it lives and the diversity of lifeforms.
2. It won't help survival of the species because nothing likely to happen on Earth would make it a worse place to survive than Mars for the next several hundred million years - for many millions of generations to come.. And terraforming takes far too long, several millennia to reach fully Earth like conditions with breathable atmosphere - even the Mars Society say that - and that's if it goes right with many ways it could go wrong and might as easily "unterrraform" when you finish.
A submarine commander in a submarine could survive an asteroid impact even the very worst in the geological record, large enough to set the whole world on fire (also solar flares, gamma ray bursts etc). And then emerge to restart civilization on Earth - the very best place in the solar system to do it. Others deep underground, or otherwise sheltered, polar settlements, etc would survive also.
If some human war or such like destroys all humans - it is almost sure to destroy the fragile colonies as well.
Indeed, colonies could easily be the problem. For instance, conflicting financial or political interests in space, could be a cause of war. In worst case also, colonies in space done without careful biological exploration first could also lead to return of XNA to Earth - or lead to evolution of new diseases of humans (because diseases get more virulent in space) - and be a hazard for us that way also.
If we lose our technology as a species, the highly technological space colonies are likely to be the first to fail. Any who survive would be best advised try to get back to Earth and join any survivors here if they possibly can.
Earth is always going to be the best place to rebuild a civilization in our solar system if we lose our technology or encounter some disaster.
I'm all for using space technology to detect and divert asteroids and do things practical to prevent harm to Earth. It's just the attempt to run away from our problems into space - I can see no future in that at all. I understand that they are trying to help humanity. I'm just saying be careful. The people who introduced rabbits to Australia thought they were helping humanity.
I would not like to be one of the people who irreversibly contaminate Mars for all time with Earth life before we know what is there by way of native Martian lifeforms. If NASA still plan to do that - and if nobody comes up with a solution to this issue of contamination of Mars by microbes in human habitats and on our skin etc - I'll be doing what I can to stop them. Though I don't think they will, can't see how they can within the guidelines of COSPAR so surely that will stop them.
I'd love to explore Mars from orbit though - only thing stopping me there is - that I get claustrophobic in small crowded places (like lifts etc) and would be driven out of my mind probably in such a journey. Later when we have more spacious luxurious transport to Mars - and especially if we can get there and back in a few weeks - maybe. And would not want to go there to stay, at least would be unusual situation to want to do that - like the Earth too much :).
But if we explore it via telerobotics and telepresence, we'll have live HD streaming video of all the telerobotic explorations on the surface, streaming right back here to Earth so we can all take part that way (far more so than for a human landing). I'll enjoy those. With the technology we will have by then better even than Occulus rift for sure, will be pretty much like being there myself.
If you find this answer puzzling, check out my other answers here or:
1. It's far more valuable as a pristine planet which many exobiologists think is likely to have microbial ETs - unique forms of life unlike anything we have on Earth. Most are likely to be hard to spot "cryptic" lifeforms inside rocks and a cm or so below the surface. Likely to be some decades before we have a clear idea of what there is and where it lives and the diversity of lifeforms.
2. It won't help survival of the species because nothing likely to happen on Earth would make it a worse place to survive than Mars for the next several hundred million years - for many millions of generations to come.. And terraforming takes far too long, several millennia to reach fully Earth like conditions with breathable atmosphere - even the Mars Society say that - and that's if it goes right with many ways it could go wrong and might as easily "unterrraform" when you finish.
A submarine commander in a submarine could survive an asteroid impact even the very worst in the geological record, large enough to set the whole world on fire (also solar flares, gamma ray bursts etc). And then emerge to restart civilization on Earth - the very best place in the solar system to do it. Others deep underground, or otherwise sheltered, polar settlements, etc would survive also.
If some human war or such like destroys all humans - it is almost sure to destroy the fragile colonies as well.
Indeed, colonies could easily be the problem. For instance, conflicting financial or political interests in space, could be a cause of war. In worst case also, colonies in space done without careful biological exploration first could also lead to return of XNA to Earth - or lead to evolution of new diseases of humans (because diseases get more virulent in space) - and be a hazard for us that way also.
If we lose our technology as a species, the highly technological space colonies are likely to be the first to fail. Any who survive would be best advised try to get back to Earth and join any survivors here if they possibly can.
Earth is always going to be the best place to rebuild a civilization in our solar system if we lose our technology or encounter some disaster.
I'm all for using space technology to detect and divert asteroids and do things practical to prevent harm to Earth. It's just the attempt to run away from our problems into space - I can see no future in that at all. I understand that they are trying to help humanity. I'm just saying be careful. The people who introduced rabbits to Australia thought they were helping humanity.
I would not like to be one of the people who irreversibly contaminate Mars for all time with Earth life before we know what is there by way of native Martian lifeforms. If NASA still plan to do that - and if nobody comes up with a solution to this issue of contamination of Mars by microbes in human habitats and on our skin etc - I'll be doing what I can to stop them. Though I don't think they will, can't see how they can within the guidelines of COSPAR so surely that will stop them.
I'd love to explore Mars from orbit though - only thing stopping me there is - that I get claustrophobic in small crowded places (like lifts etc) and would be driven out of my mind probably in such a journey. Later when we have more spacious luxurious transport to Mars - and especially if we can get there and back in a few weeks - maybe. And would not want to go there to stay, at least would be unusual situation to want to do that - like the Earth too much :).
But if we explore it via telerobotics and telepresence, we'll have live HD streaming video of all the telerobotic explorations on the surface, streaming right back here to Earth so we can all take part that way (far more so than for a human landing). I'll enjoy those. With the technology we will have by then better even than Occulus rift for sure, will be pretty much like being there myself.
If you find this answer puzzling, check out my other answers here or:
- How Valuable is Pristine Mars for Humanity - Opinion Piece?
- Imagined Colours Of Future Mars - What Happens If We Treat A Planet As A Giant Petri Dish?
- No Escape From Problems in Space Colonies - Earth is Des Res - Even After Nuclear War or Asteroid Impact
- Why Mars is NOT a Great Place to Live - Amazing to Explore From Orbit - with RC Rovers, and Nature Inspired Avatars
- Trouble With Terraforming Mars
- Ten Reasons NOT To Live On Mars - Great Place To Explore
About the Author
Robert Walker
Writer of articles on Mars and Space issues - Software Developer of Tune Smithy, Bounce Metronome etc.Studied at Wolfson College, Oxford
Lives in Isle of Mull
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