Exploring/Colonizing the Sol System

First of all I have a question Pro. Why do you always day 120%? Anyways I am still butt hurt about Pluto getting the boot. To me that was just a waste of time and I think we should be thinking about your very topic rather then deciding whether or not a planet is actually a planet. They havent even reached it with a probe yet right? So why deny it?

The biggest concern I have about any colonization plan to be put forward is the capacity of the colonists to be able to return to Earth if necessary. The early colonist on Roanoke could and Jamestown I didn't really have a chance to get away when things went sideways. Hell, we haven't been back to the moon in 40 years. That is a long time to be stuck on a rock in space just trying to survive. I think that colonization will not be a viable reality until something of value is found on another world and corporation decide they want it. I certainly would not be depending on the government to get me to my colonial home and certainly not to get back. It has to be private industry if this will ever work reliably.

Well, anything's possible. I don't believe in the word "impossible". But the bigger question for me would be: Is it practical or of any use to us to do so? Human beings have adapted and evolved on this planet for millenia, so what would be our motivation for doing this?

Hello Progamer, Nice to visit with you again! And, great topic! This is one to really inspire us to put our 'thinking caps' on. Based on what we know of our own solar system, no other planet is conducive to human life without significant alteration, or constructed accomodation. Yes, I expect that we'll explore them, but colonize -- I don't think so. Not unless life on Earth goes to H E-double toothpicks, in a handbasket. Of course, if we find that we need to re-colonize, I can only hope we do it unintrusively. Personally, I've got my bets on the Pleides. I figure, at this point in time travelling to the Pleides is no more unrealistic than travelling to Jupiter or Saturn. I have no logical reason for being drawn to the Pleides. It's purely illogical -- but here's my reasoning: It's the only visible celestial body or configuration that is almost imperceptible to the human eye when gazing directly at it. Yet, when one looks slightly to either side, it becomes visible. Don't ask me what I think that means. 'Cause as I pointed out, there's no logic to my thoughts on this. However, it's intriguing to me that we can look upon something and not see it, yet divert our attention, ever so slightly, and have it become clear as could be. We so often miss what's right under our noses. So, I figure it's a perfect match for humankind. Silly reasoning, yes -- but entertaining nonetheless.

Lately I have been wondering what the space progam and most of the scientific community is thinking about. We need to focus on one project at a time. If we want to go to the moon lets stop worrying about a Mars mission. When we went to the moon before the country was focused on one thing and it happened fast. We need to have the same thing to start happen again.

god I was writing a very lengthy and wise statement but it disappeared when I pressed submit and the system asked for authentication.. what the f..ck.. and when I wanted to paste what I had copied it refused and told that just was accepting 500 or more .. god I can't understand it..

I suspect that eventually humans will colonise another planet. It is inevitable, if we continue to have financial security & advanced technology. The nature of humans as we evolve, has meant we have an enquiring mind, & this can only develop. As for which planet, I am not 100% sure. I am not knowledgeable enough on individual planets to decide. I have suspicion it will be Mars to be first colonised, simply because I think it has an environment most similar to ours. Even then, it is still very different, & many technologies will need to be developed. For instance, we need to be able extract oxygen from the Mars air, or produce our own. Water, there could well be water deep underground, & this would need to be found & a method developed where it can be brought to the surface & purified. Food can be brought from our planet initially, but for any sustained living, it would need to be grown. Either suitable soil on Mars would need to be found, or more likely, chemicals & additives added to ensure a suitable growing environment, plus enough sun, but not too much (shadecloth type structures). As we are not all vegetarians, animal life would need to be sustained in much the same way as humans on Mars. Your topic is excellent. I don't think it is theory either. I bet scientists are working on colonisation of a planet right now.