I'm thinking Mars will be skipped. Asteroids are too attractive and almost certainly cheaper. You get all you need from asteroids, and more.
Plus mined-out asteroids can be used for habitats and can be spun for proper gravity. Less than 40% Earth gravity may be problematic:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_gravity#Detrimental_health_effects_caused_by_zero_gravity said:
Astronauts were exposed to artificial gravity levels ranging from 0.2 to 1 g for a few minutes during several spaceflight missions, using linear sleds or rotating chairs. They did not perceive any changes in their spatial orientation when the g level was lower than 0.5 g at the inner ear level, where the sensory receptors for gravity perception are located.
Of course, this is far from conclusive.
Human labour will probably be cheaper than an army of robots
Unlikely. Besides, with sufficient automation, i wonder if most humans would even want to work. "It is the job of robots".
And in space, robots absolutely would be cheaper and easier. A human requires life-support systems that cut into payloads heavily, or require more delta-v, which in turn requires larger spacecrafts and even more delta-v. In short, far more expensive.
There is a reason we send mostly probes to space, rather than manned missions. We could do them, but there is little reason or need for that.
not really comparable imo. Unless you expect a revolution as game changing as the Internet to happen again in the next 100 years. There's the fundamental problem of the atmosphere on Mars not being livable, and while small scale expeditions might be possible, an actual Colony would require either regular oxygen shipments on a scale that would probably be unfeasible or some method of generating their own oxygen in large quantities
Free oxygen atmosphere requires biomass with flora to replenish oxygen. For small bases, oxygen can be generated from water... which probably isn't that easily available on Mars beyond polar regions.
Actual terraforming process would take a long time and be extremely complicated though not really impossible.
And heat is a big problem. Mars receives only 25% of the light and heat Earth receives.
haha
