EP Grondine wrote:

Four major problems face even limited manned exploration:

1) Back-contamination
2) Radiation
3) prolonged low gravity
4) sexual isolation

Chris wrote:

"1) Not if there is nothing to back contaminate with or you stay on Mars."

If only it was cheap enough to send a few folks one way...

"Back contamination is being studied and methods to control it are being explored, but they would be to hard for you to understand."

Ah, yes, my understanding...

Well, Chris, to define the back contamination threat you need to have long range rovers operating on Mars, and to have a long range rovers operating on Mars they have to have autonomous robotic vision systems, and I do believe I have a lock of a sort on that technology...

Of course, with any kind of luck you'll probably understand this sometime during the first part of the next year, after watching the extremely limited and difficult performance of NASA's 2 current rovers....

Chris wrote:

"2) We call the solution to this shielding.
I have mentioned several way to protect against it to you, but you forget."

For transit, the problem here is mass.

In any case, the radiation on Mars is severe enough to limit any increase in Mars value through terraforming.

Chris wrote:

"3) An unknown is not a problem, but a potential problem. We are looking into whether it is or is not a problem (TRANSLIFE)."

In manned systems, when you have a major unknown, you have a problem. The immediate example at hand is tile damage.

In any case, it is folly to spend tens of billions on a project before you have fairly good estimates in hand. For that matter, it is folly to spend hundreds of millions on a project before you have fairly good estimate in hand.

Chris wrote

"4) No one but you, a non expert, has claimed this is a problem. I think that sex is a big problem in your own life and that you blow it up and make it consumes you and your fantasy Mars Crew..."

If you've ever bothered to talk to any of the first generation of astronauts, you will quickly learn that going to the Moon or preparing to go to the Moon put incredible strains on their families... and that was for a short trip...

As for long term trips, such as those required for manned Mars flight, the best technology that any of you "Mars enthusiasts" has suggested to deal with this problem is to send along jars of Vaseline...

ep