Re: Sending "ships" back is stupid.
The ships are horribly expensive. They have to be, to be large enough for the job. However, they are reusable, so the cost of bringing them back is essentially the cost of the fuel. Hence it is much cheaper to bring them back than to leave them there.
It also means the people sent to Mars don't have to die there. It can be a return trip. That will encourage more people to go.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
