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It's not just that. The difficulties in sending a human to Mars and safely returning him/her are way beyond anything we have ever tried. It wouldn't be that bad to send a human to, say, Phobos, but Mars poses some extra problems, not the least of which is how to land.

An atmosphere too thick for retro rockets and too thin for parachutes is a major impediment.

So until I start seeing progress on those issues, I will see this just as sci-fi.



Why do we have to bring the person back?


It might be politically easier to justify the program if we do....


Sure, but it might be possible to actually have the program if we don't.


Then why not just send a dog to Mars?


Probably because the dog can claim property rights upon the Red Planet. They would send a very smart dog there, right?


Yeah but as long as it doesn't have a flag ...


It's harder for a dog to start building a colony base.


We should send giant ants, then.




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