The Chronic ails of Mars

In the year of the Moon landing in 1969 my six year old self began to get excited about all of the benefits that would accrue for myself and the Human Race from this momentous event.

What could be expected from that era of optimism?

What technology would be at our fingertips?

Importantly, when would I take delivery of that Jet Pack?

In my childhood day dreams I anticipated that my future house would have to accommodate a flying car and a robot butler.

Yes, we did have some spin-offs from the Space Race although some high-tec cooking foil and increased computing power seem like a bit of a cop-out!

Every time I log on to my home lap-top I am bombarded with news releases of the latest exploits of private space flight companies. The recent launch of an expansive string of satellites may have been a major innovation but I was a bit under-whelmed by the whole media hype and rather self centred stance of those involved.

There have been a number of unmanned launches of craft to the Moon by the new kids on the lunar block of China, India and Israel. This does give a  big boost to national  pride but strikes fear into me as a covert attempt to lay claim to the mineral and other resources of our sole satellite.

You cannot imagine the angst that I went through with the plot-line of the TV series Space 1999 where the scenario is the blasting out of Earth orbit of the Moon .

Currently the emphasis in the deep-space business community is of getting to the Planet Mars to set up a colony of humans.

I will not be putting my name on any list of applicants for such an expedition.

The job description, if it is truthful will have to state that it is a suicide mission for the first pioneers, a one way trip. The prospect of a long space flight followed by having to eke out an entirely synthetic existence may excite a few amongst us but not me.


I may be criticised for being negative and narrow minded but just take a minute to think about the current situation on our home planet.

We are entering a period of climate crisis, political, social and demographic upheaval, issues over the security of food, water and resources.

We should be seeking to implement actions to alleviate the worst excesses of the inevitable and not entering into flights of fancy in readiness for failing our own planet.