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> IPO until they reach Mars

So when the massively tank their valuation by spending an insane amount of money with no potential of any meaningful return?

Why would a private/commercial company ever go to Mars?

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A money seeking company might not want to go. But there likely will be co-op based groups that would go. Similar to this project that helped develop parts of Alaska at a time where it was considered to be nothing but snow and ice:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matanuska_Valley_Colony

https://www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/twhp-matanuska-colon...

All of these costs virtually peanuts compared to what a trip let a lone a colony on Mars would cost. It's inconceivable that any non-profit seeking non government organization/group could ever pool enough resources together for that (and if they could all of that energy/resources/money would be better spent on fixing more relevant problems back on earth)

Favorable labour laws (that is, a lack thereof)

Imagine the massive Tesla and SpaceX factory-sweatshops, cranking out cars and starships on a barren red planet.

It's a long flight home. We haven't had that kind of excuse for indentured servitude for centuries.

And at the bottom of a gravity well.

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