Space War

Among scientists there is a war of ideas.  Should man return and colonize the moon or reach for astronauts on Mars?  There are arguments for both sides and it has become a PR battle — who can be the most persuasive to target audiences.  In this case the message recipients are Congress and the White House, both of whom would have to appropriate the billions to get either job done.  The scientific community isn’t helping itself by its division.  What is needed is a concerted and unified effort to get government to move.  Arguments for the moon are that we have been there although it was 50 years ago and the technology exists to return — this time to stay.  Arguments for Mars are that it is a living planet although unfit for human habitation.  Science on Mars promises greater rewards than science on the moon.  While the scientific community debates, years pass and nothing gets done.  Man is stuck in low earth orbit in the international space station.