Its a start, but, why spend 2 & half $ Billion on a Mission to Mars to build something just to achieve that? I realize it's of significant scientific importance to test our latest various instruments, devices, systems, etc., not to mention advancing our technical abilities overall. It's also rather an awesome opportunity to learn as much as we can about the once thought to be civilization on Mars. The Martians, according to one absent minded theory, supposedly had once upon a time long since inhabited Mars, and either had dried up and/or perished back into the Martian soil, of which, I believe is comprised of alot of iron (it's good for the digestive system.... Belch!!! Now, you have to keep in-mind that this all happened long before our civilization even existed, and it's possible those Martians developed the technical ability to leave their world far behind, and may even be responsible for seeding earth. For me, I am already convinced that the so-called Martians are currently operating up in the space above earth, so, I say, why send probes to Mars in hopes of learning what happened to microrganisms that are now flying around in ufo's? The real issue is that what happened to Mars, will likely slowly over the several thousand years or so, may also happen here. And so, we should start preparing now, as the Earth's H20 continues to dissipate or disappears or evaporates, or where ever it goes. By building specially contained and wel equipped environments *underground* to sustain a functional population, the insulating effects can protect us against extreme outside temps at a constant comfy 72 o's or so,,, so, we might as well start adjusting accordingly. The sooner as we can build a significantly more technologically abled non biolgically dependent human to pilot the one & only advanced propulsion system that will enable *true* star travel, the better off we well grounded limited restricted disabled humans won't need to be!
I'm seriously thinking about starting a business building some rather trendy looking underground complexes, communities, and/or subdivisions of a sort where the main housing infrastucture is underground. There will be many above structures and so it will not resemble anything like mole people occupy it. It will simply be highly energy efficient, and offer a whole complete new style of living w/ a whole host of state of the art technology,,,, that will slowly replace this biologically dependent human mode of being (I'm so excited!). << So Curiosity is immune to Mars winters and nights. Able to work 24/7/365. >> </HTML>