Chris Hadfield

Establishing a permanent human presence on the Moon is a crucial step for science and exploration. It would serve as a stepping stone for missions to Mars and beyond, providing opportunities to test new technologies and conduct research that could benefit life on Earth.

I strongly believe that a crewed mission to Mars would be a significant leap for mankind, akin to the Apollo moon landings. It would not only deepen our understanding of the universe but also drive technological advancements on Earth.

The idea of private individuals settling on the moon without declaring allegiance to an Earth government is complex. While I see the potential for human exploration and scientific advancement, there are significant legal, ethical, and safety considerations that must be addressed. It’s a topic that requires global cooperation and thoughtful deliberation.

As someone who has spent significant time in space, I believe that the utilization of asteroid belt resources should be regulated by international consensus. This is to ensure that space exploration remains safe, fair, and beneficial to all of humanity, rather than serving the interests of a few private entities.

As an astronaut who has spent a significant amount of time in space, I believe that using directed asteroid impacts to terraform Mars is extremely risky. The unintended consequences of such drastic actions could be catastrophic and uncontrollable. We need to explore more sustainable and controlled methods for Mars colonization.

Crashing Deimos into Mars is a highly risky and unpredictable endeavor. The potential unintended consequences could outweigh the potential benefits. We should focus on more controlled and gradual methods to make Mars habitable.

I believe government space programs should prioritize exploring Europa's oceans for signs of life. Europa is one of the most promising places in our solar system where life might exist beyond Earth. Its subsurface ocean could harbor the necessary conditions for life as we know it. Discovering life on Europa would be one of the most profound scientific breakthroughs in human history and could answer fundamental questions about our place in the universe.

As an astronaut, I've seen firsthand the vastness of space and the potential it holds. Enceladus, with its subsurface oceans, presents one of the best opportunities in our solar system to potentially discover microbial life. Prioritizing its exploration could yield groundbreaking discoveries about life's existence beyond Earth.