Atlas 5 rocket lifts-off carrying a £1.6bn Mars probe

[antihermes]

The process of going to mars creates and solves many engineering problems that go to bolster our power as a machine civilization. Look at what came out of the first space race. The world powers will have to work together (not just USA). But above all can't you see that colonizing the rest of the solar system is defense against extinction? If you don't think that is logical than I have no better point. You have to equally fund all sciences or none of it grows properly.

[nebuias2008]

Only small minds think this is a waste of money.

[MisterPeetBull]

@nebuias2008 No only people who know what money is do. Going to Mars will never benefit human kind other than to satisfy someone's curiosity- and that is if it works.

[Ryanr75rc]

@MisterPeetBull porn hub

[MisterPeetBull]

What a collossal waste of taxpayer's money. Look at our economy and we are spending billions on this?!?! How will this ever benefit anyone on earth other than satisfying someone's curiosity? What a waste. This makes me sick.

[antihermes]

@MisterPeetBull Technological spin offs from the NASA space programs have no rival in American history. There has been no better return per dollar than science.

[MisterPeetBull]

@antihermes How is going to mars going to benefit us? The USA? please enlighten me, and name something logical that we will see within the next 50 years- other than to satisfy curiosity

[40markava]

America the beautiful!

[118Huntervasser]

£1.6 Billion just to see if there MIGHT be some BACTERIA on Mars ?

and even if there is or was...so bloody what!

[drokles]

@118Huntervasser

I believe America could be so much 'bigger' if they had sustained the same interest in science funding, that they had in the last century. American engineers would still be inventing new and amazing things with a pace not seen anywhere else in the world. Now we look to Germany or Japan for this. The US can't keep up with what a small country like Japan is capable of.

And yes this has everything to do with advances in NASA's space programmes.

[knoose]

Much more impressive than Russia's last many mishaps. 

[globaleye8]

God speed Curiosity !

[giorgakisundercover1]

now lets wait for the results...

[pjarina]

There's a blackbird just before lift-off....is that a good sign?

[Kukenango]

Most exciting news in a long time.