At this point we have corporations that can fund space flight. Do we really need governments funding a trip to mars? I think it isn't worth it. Leave it up to those who want to spend their own money. The government should be funding climate science, geo-engineering research, studying how to avoid war, and continuing to fund research into more powerful and cost effective propulsion and energy systems that we can use in space and here on earth.
I think NASA shouldn't send a manned mission to mars.
> "studying how to avoid war"
I'm sure it isn't that straightforward....
Say you diverted NASAs 18.4 billion yearly budget. What can you do with 18.4 billion dollars? To give you contrast of how little that is relative to other American financial concerns, the GM bailout of 2008 was 51 billion.
Why not have Mars missions if the US can give car companies tens of billions?
I think NASA shouldn't send a manned mission to mars.