Should the U.S. Prioritize Settling Mars?

Open to Debate

Education, News, Society & Culture

4.6 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 26 March 2026

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

NASA is preparing for the Artemis II mission — a major step back into deep space to explore the Moon. But as NASA, SpaceX, and other private companies are also working on plans to make Mars humanity’s next frontier, what comes next, and should Mars be the bigger priority? Those arguing “yes” say the U.S. should do it first before China, while opponents say major challenges make colonization unrealistic. Now we debate: Should the U.S. Prioritize Settling Mars? Arguing Yes: Eric Berger, Senior Space Editor at Ars Technica Arguing No: Shannon Stirone, Freelance Science Writer Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates Join the conversation on Substack - share your perspective on this episode and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for curated insights from our debaters, moderators, and staff. Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and TikTok to stay connected with our mission and ongoing debates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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0:00.0	Springs blooming at Starbucks.
0:03.0	A new season calls for new discoveries,
0:06.0	like our iced Ube-Vinilla Machilate.
0:09.0	Smooth, creamy and nutty, balanced with notes of vanilla.
0:13.0	It's a treat for the ice too,
0:15.0	with vibrant lilac hues to brighten your spring mood.
0:18.0	Hot or iced, there are so many ways to love this stunning salve.
0:23.8	Uber Vanilla, pouring now at Starbucks.
0:27.5	Subject to availability while stocks last.
0:30.6	This is open to debate. I'm John Donvan.
0:33.2	If all goes well, in just a few days, NASA will have us all looking to the sky again.
0:38.3	Artemis 2 is scheduled to go up and around the moon, and this time with astronauts on board.
0:44.3	It will be the first time in more than 50 years that astronauts leave the low orbit of the Earth and travel so far into space.
0:51.3	The ultimate goal of the Artemis program is not just to travel around the
0:55.2	moon, but to create a long-term presence there, and hopefully from the moon head on to the
1:01.1	red planet. Putting people on Mars is, of course, a long-standing dream, or pipe dream, depending on
1:06.4	your viewpoint. But last year, in his second inaugural address, President Trump made it clear that he is
1:12.7	interested in Mars. And we will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars launching American astronauts
1:18.7	to plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars. According to Trump, the moon is a stepping
1:25.3	stone to Mars, and he's not alone in thinking that.
1:28.0	Other players are joining the race to the Martian surface.
1:30.9	There is China, of course, and India and private companies.
	...

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