Georgiansilver, that programme's a repeat. Every issue raised is phoney and has been well debunked in the past, long before the programme was made. Clearly, the only reason the programme was made was to stir up the credulous.

As for "why" man went to the Moon, all the reasons previously quoted. Maybe read a few of them? ;-)

Currently we don't have the technology or resources to live full-time and unsupplied anywhere except Earth. People are working on it though (various biolab projects, etc). Part of the problem is sheer technology though, of course. With ultra-cheap space transport, it'd be much easier to colonise places, mainly bcos you can then afford to keep the colony supplied from Earth. But that needs a space elevator, and a space elevator needs very high quality carbon nanotubes (the only suitable material). Nanotube technology is on the rise, but isn't anywhere close to being good enough yet.

North America is the best example of how tough it is to settle a hostile environment. Think how long it took from Columbus setting foot on the continent, to the Lewis and Clarke expedition making it from one side to the other, and think how much longer it took for full colonisation (covered wagons, etc) to make it all the way across. And that's in an environment with relatively cheap transport over there, air, water, building materials, food on the tree and on the hoof, and no problems with the livestock and plants you brought with you living in your new home... The Moon and Mars are orders of magnitude more expensive to reach, and are utterly inhospitable once you get there, so settling them will be *hard*. Not impossible though, just very, very difficult.

So with North America as an example, face the fact that it ain't happening in your lifetime or mine, and probably not for generations to come. Picking a number out of my arse, I'd say we could be seeing the start of colonisation in 10 generations time. Say 200-300 years.

Graham.