Mark Whittington suggests we forget Mars, and concentrate instead on the near-Earth asteroids.
Like the kid in the toy store, I have to ask: “Why can’t I have both?”
(Note the link is to the blog rather than the specific entry, due to Blogger archive problems.)
Actually, I’d love to have both and I think in the fullness of time, we shall. But sometimes we have to have priorities and I think rocks filled with useful stuff just hurtling about for the taking comes before Mars.
Whatever works, I say. Better to have both, but if herding rocks results in a permanent human presence in space, I’m all for it.