Do you think we will actually land on Mars in your lifetime?

Yes… but after a couple os setbacks…

Considering I plan to live forever, there is a possibility it will happen before I die yes.

I think I am in the minority here, but I hope not. IMHO, it is a huge waste of money that could be used here on earth, helping the poor, finding cures for diseases, fighting terrorism, etc.

@Chyna, exploring alternant planets is not a waste of money when it can save future generations from earths destruction. Plus it’s the only thing that many countries can agree on without fighting, why would you want to stunt the growth of that?

@Silence04 exploring alternant planets is not a waste of money when it can save future generations from earths destruction

you make a good point. But I agree with @chyna.
The destruction of earth is not an immediate threat. The disease, poverty and violence are.
There is no point in having an alternative place for mankind to live if there aren’t any of us left due to our self inhibiting lifestyle.

We’ve already landed on Mars, several times… or people? I don’t see a lot of good in landing people on Mars. We already know what’s there, and none of that’s particularly useful to us.

Terraforming Mars, on the other hand, and then colonizing is a much better plan. All we really need to do is drop a few teratons of comets onto Mars and we’ve got atmosphere. Might not be really ready for a few hundred years, but I say let’s get started now.

I asked this question to get our imaginations going.
I hoped we could have a little fun.
We have many problems here. However it is human nature to explore.
Exploration and growth is required for survival of all species. I think stagnation leads to extinction.

Seeing the suns going to turn into a red giant and kill us all I see the importance of space travel…. and since it’s so difficult I say we start now….But I wonder when the first inter-planetary wars would result from space colonization

At the rate things are going, it’s unlikely.

Depends upon if we’re talking about the lifetime of a teenager, a child, an adult or a senior citizen. If you’re talking about a child or teen – maybe. Anyone else, no.

Since I think we have already landed on Mars, I’m going to assume that the question is “Do you think we will actually make Mars inhabitable within my lifetime?” I agree with @chyna and @TheOnlyException on this one – it doesn’t seem as if such an enormous and costly endeavour has the potential to solve any of our immediate problems. Overpopulation, yes… but a lack of land is just one of many reasons why increasing population growth is a bad idea. An ever-increasing income gap (and consequent inequalities in healthcare, education, etc.) for one; a lack of energy resources for another; so on and so forth.

A manned craft to Mars in the next 75 years?

Look at how far technology has come since the US landed on the moon (sorry conspiracy nuts, but yes we did go to to moon). If humanity collectively put their resources and minds to the task, it could happen.

Too bad we’re spending all that time and energy thinking of new ways to kill each other.

If Mars was discovered to have oil, diamonds, and hot alien women, we’d be there by the end of the decade.

It’s all about motivation. We have the capacity to pull it off but there’s no incentive.

@xxii nicely put

Yes. I hope to be able to celebrate my 90th birthday in 2052.