Ditto to the "pro-Moon" arguments here. A base on the Moon could supply us with the opportunity to develop technologies that we can't even dream of now. In fact, just about every technological field would be drastically revised after experimentation (on a grand scale) in reduced gravity. The opportunity to have a high-power telescope on the moon (anywhere, since there's no atmospheric effects) would be like having a Hubble about 8 feet across.
Unfortunately, politics will prevent this, and will also prevent a meaningful Mars mission. The only hope we have for development of space is the licensing of monopolies, similar to the corporate structure in Alien and other sci-fi works preceding it. That's prohibited by international treaty (since about '67 or so) for the time being. There are always folks who will argue that "there are things to do down here" over exploration.
Comments
Unfortunately, politics will prevent this, and will also prevent a meaningful Mars mission. The only hope we have for development of space is the licensing of monopolies, similar to the corporate structure in Alien and other sci-fi works preceding it. That's prohibited by international treaty (since about '67 or so) for the time being. There are always folks who will argue that "there are things to do down here" over exploration.