Anything is possible. Only in the early 1990s, the scientific community realised the existence of other planetary systems and so far confirmed over 250 and the list in increasing. By 2050, these is a great project costing over US $ between 50 to 150 billion through Japan, Russia, EU and USA to send over 150 to 300 inter-planetary probes, and form a giagantic radio telescope to confirm in the universe if any place resembles atmosphere like compositions to support life. To me that is a huge waste of money and no return on investment. It is only killing the cat by arousing the not needed curiosity. In fact, so much resources could be used in this planet here and now. Thenagain that is my opinion and respect other alternatives as well. In the same time MISSION: INNUMERABLE The collapse of the shuttle program and lingering doubts over the future of the International Space Station have made manned space missions the exception rather than the rule, but more robotic missions are flying than ever before. Here's a sample of what's out there, and what's coming up... ROSETTA: Launched by the European Space Agency in March this year, Rosetta is on a very long-haul flight to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko [The very name of the destination may explain why you've probably never heard of this mission.] When it finally catches the comet in 2014, Rosetta will split like Cassini/Huygens and attempt the first "soft" landing on a comet's surface. SMART-1: ESA's experimental electric ion-drive lunar shot is now in Earth orbit, building up speed for ots journey to the Moon by gradual firings of liquid xenon propellant. SPITZER INFRARED TELESCOPE: This is the last of NASA's four orbiting Great Observatories Program, viewing the universe at different wavelengths [after Hubble in visible light, Chandra in X-rays, and Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory]. Launched in August 2003, Spitzer is only now sending back its first remarlable images, including dust clouds around other stars where new planets are forming. (To be continued)