Space travel isn't currently possible. It ever becoming possible is pure speculation on your part. No man has ever left the Earth and set up shop elsewhere and lived. None. Zilch. It's science fiction.
Science fiction often becomes reality. There are companies, governments, and NGOs working on extraterrestrial habitation as we discuss this. While it will be expensive and make many rather unhappy, it will likely happen… assuming that humankind doesn’t annihilate itself first.
Space travel between worlds is SF.
A manned mission to Mars is entirely feasible with current technology. In fact I'd argue it'd have been feasible with 1980s technology, it was simply costly. If we (we as in humankind) wanted, we could have a base on Mars for some time now.
Who is to say what our capabilities will be in 50 years? In 100 years?
A manned mission to another solar system is going to be very-very difficult, we'd need generational space ship/habitats. Note that difficult is not the same as impossible. Such a ship could be feasibly constructed with modern day technology, but it would be enormously costly so there was no motivation to do it.
I'd agree with your point that a mission to another galaxy is basically unimaginable with technology we can realistically theorize about today. We'd need extremely exotic physics which are unlikely to be doable ever.
Probes aren't space travel for humans.
> A manned mission to Mars is entirely feasible with current technology.
As no manned missions to Mars have ever proven this conjecture, it is still entirely speculation on your part.
> A manned mission to another solar system is going to be very-very difficult, we'd need generational space ship/habitats. Note that difficult is not the same as impossible.
No, it is impossible. Humans cannot survive in space that long. Never have, currently can't, and there's no precedent to assume it ever becomes possible. Pure speculation on your part.
But we do have manned missions to other celestial bodies, and we have sent and landed probes on Mars. I'm confused as to how a manned mission to Mars is "entirely speculation".
>no precedent to assume it ever becomes possible
This isn't a qualifier for what is possible. We knew it was possible to go to the moon before there was precedent. If anything, you calling it impossible is pure speculation. OP is right, difficult is not the same as impossible.
But based on what I know, I don't see any reason to believe a manned mission to Mars is impossible with current technology.
Do you have specific reasons we can't, or examples of technological gaps?
- One year enduring radiation sickness.
- various strategies to block incoming cosmic rays: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_ionizing_radiatio.... In particular, hydrogen-rich plastics.
Fans of space colonization are encouraged to read: a City on Mars by Weinersmiths, https://www.acityonmars.com/
I don't have any doubts that at some point humanity will find a way to do interstellar travel. Though I doubt it will happen in our lifetime
Heck, my own house is an unsustainable habitat that requires constant resupply.