by Marcus Skiles

Created on: August 28, 2009   Last Updated: September 03, 2009

"It will completely change the future of the human race and may determine whether we have any future at all." The famed astronomer and author, Stephen Hawking, spoke these words through his computer in a lecture to over two hundred people in regard to his call for humans to colonize space.

Hawking presented his argument that this goal would be possible if the human race were to set aside one quarter of a percent of global GDP (Gross Domestic Product). The United States alone would have a share of 35 billion dollars a year, which is more than twice the current budget of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

He also argues that a new manned space-flight program would increase public enthusiasm about space and science in general. However, many in the scientific community are opposed to spending large sums of money on space, when scientific advancements could be more useful here on Earth.

In addition, those against the idea of space colonization believe that it is not even possible, as all the planets in our solar system have problems that make it impossible to live on them currently.

For example, the moon has no atmosphere, Venus is too hot, and Mars is too cool and has too thin of an atmosphere.

Hawking disregards these claims, declaring that an immediate launch of a colonization program could have a moon base established in a few decades, and have humans on Mars by mid-century. He does admit, however, that it would be impossible to reach this goal with current technology, so he encourages the youth of the world to take an interest in science through his lectures and books.

A few experts believe that Mars would be the best place to colonize first, seeing as how it contains the one element essential to life-water. However, there are no firm plans to colonize anytime soon, as NASA officials say that not enough is known about the long-term effects of space flight or radiation in space.

In addition, a single human mission to Mars or anywhere else in the solar system is estimated to cost $10-$50 billion dollars or more.

However, most of these experts agree that if we were to colonize space, the results could mitigate the initial financial outlay. Asteroids could be mined for minerals, and efforts to increase Earth technologies could be an extremely useful economic boost. It is also a good idea to have a quick escape plan, in the event a giant meteor or asteroid were about to collide with Earth. As Oscar Falconi puts it, "It has become more and

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