Expedition to Mars: Benefit of science v. cost in dollars

[mikemorvan]

I saw this episode on 60 Minutes last night. I guess i'm too stupid. I hope someone can help me understand...

I get that we need to explore to learn. But is a 3.5 - 4 "B" Billion dollar expedition to Mars really worthwhile to find out if maybe there was microscopic life on the planet 30 Billion years ago? Even if the scientists find the information they're looking for, what practical benefit would that have on earth, at any time in the relatively near fixture? And once they get there on this expedition, it's only the first phase of a three part mission. The next two phases seem to have an unknown cost.

Help me understand the sense in this.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mars-rover-nasa-ancient-life-60-minutes-2020-05-31/

[dbelcher269]

Hard to say if any expedition is worth it until years later. Columbus barely secured funding for his expedition and it turned out ok. On a side note, maybe we can ship all these “protestors” to Mars and let them figure it out.

[curtintex]

I saw this episode on 60 Minutes last night. I guess i'm too stupid. I hope someone can help me understand...

I get that we need to explore to learn. But is a 3.5 - 4 "B" Billion dollar expedition to Mars really worthwhile to find out if maybe there was microscopic life on the planet 30 Billion years ago? Even if the scientists find the information they're looking for, what practical benefit would that have on earth, at any time in the relatively near fixture? And once they get there on this expedition, it's only the first phase of a three part mission. The next two phases seem to have an unknown cost.

Help me understand the sense in this.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mars-ro...es-2020-05-31/

I don't think it's meant for the "relatively near future". It's meant for all time. I don't know what can be learned....nobody does. That's why it's called learning. We waste money on more useless **** everyday....like feeding lazy democrats that wont work. They expansion of mankinds capabilities only stops if we stop it.

[flywise]

I think our gov. Will waste that much or more tomorrow and the next day and every other day after that. Yes we are broke but apparently not broke enough to not spend on money for things like, why are lesbian couples fatter than the average couple.
Mars is the only real place we can reach besides the moon. I’m sure there will be some medical research benefit and who knows what else. But for sure, most of the future exploration needs to have a lot of private investment

[mikemorvan]

Agreed on gov't waste, etc. Maybe the knowledge gained will be worthwhile. I don't know. I mainly can't understand the benefit of knowing if a micro organism existed 30 billion years ago. I'm just a dimwit i suppose.

Oh well...

[eastxhunter]

Cost is relative when you control value

[Drycreek3189]

From my experience, there are two schools of thought on space exploration, those who revel in it, and those who think it’s money wasted. Choose your side and be comfortable with it.

[RiverRat1]

First off if they said it will cost 3-4 Billion you can bet it will end up costing 20-40 billion

I can't see there being any benefit to going. But as mentioned they blow more crap on stupider stuff every day.

[Landrover]

The area that was not discussed in that piece was mindboggling.[emoji848] Rare materials and medical advances is the answer. There are countries and entrepreneurs attempting to make claim to areas in search of the next GOLD RUSH......if you follow me. It is common knowledge that the Russians are pushing hard as well as Americans to control space. Not just militarily, but also commerce. Most TBHers say, "follow the money!" This would be one of those times. All discovery is about profit......Christopher Columbus was not on a social cruise. Plus you have to protect whatever you make a claim on.....that started back in the Reagan era. There are some fascinating articles about controlling the next frontier. Elon Musk is not focused on being a "uber space bus" with his rockets.....he is looking for the next discovery. I have faith our so called Space Force (USAF Braintrust) is well into the game.[emoji6]

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[Landrover]

Cost is relative when you control value

U got it!!!

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[Man]

Show of force/power...just like when we were first to moon.
Not sure how to quanatate that into dollars

[brrdnk]

Yes its worth it. The technology that gets developed as well as the spins offs from it. The jobs it creates good jobs at that. The taxes paid from those jobs, the money that gets pumped into the economy from them. Its a very worth while investment not to mention the discovery part of the mission.

[walker1983]

Drop in the bucket.
I’d like to see us make big leaps in space exploration in my lifetime.


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[be12hunt]

You’re arguing about the business plan of a man that was a millionaire in his 20’s and a billionaire soon after.
The side effects alone of the innovations that will come from the program will pay for the costs. Not to mention whatever they actually do discover with the red planet.

[Kevin]

Try this...

https://www.outerplaces.com/science/item/17778-700-quintillion-dollar-asteroid-space-mining-gold-rush-mars-jupiter

Resources...