An American Engineer Has Been Promoting The Idea Of Colonizing Mars For More Than 30 Years

Robert Zubrin believes this will save humanity.

American engineer Robert Zubrin has been convincing the world of the need to colonize Mars for more than 30 years. His ideas have influenced the development of the modern space industry and helped shape Elon Musk’s views on the exploration of the Red Planet, writes The Economist.

In the 1990s, Zubrin proposed a project that would allow humans to travel to Mars without intermediate space stations or lunar bases. Instead of transporting all necessary resources from Earth, the colonists were to produce fuel, water, and construction materials directly on the planet. The engineer estimated the cost of his program at approximately $20 billion, compared to the $500 billion projected in NASA’s calculations at the time.

Zubrin believes that the exploration of new worlds can not only accelerate technological progress but also reduce conflicts over resources on Earth.

“If we discover new planets, why fight?” the engineer likes to say.

He is convinced that Martian settlements will be able to create a freer society based on self-reliance and innovation. At the same time, Zubrin advocates for the government to play a leading role in the space program, rather than turning a mission to Mars into a billionaire’s personal project.
He regards Musk with admiration, but without idealizing him. Zubrin calls him a great, albeit deeply flawed, man and criticizes his political views. At the same time, the engineer considers SpaceX’s capabilities a huge advantage for humanity.

Not everyone shares his optimism. Critics warn that colonists’ dependence on limited supplies of air, water, and food could give rise to new forms of dictatorship.

Zubrin himself understands that he is unlikely to see the world he has founded in his lifetime. His goal is to go down in history as one of the people who helped humanity reach Mars.

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