Hot spots for future manned space missions: Humanity's bucket list

Beyond our own moon and some nearby asteroids, where else in our solar system should humanity set foot? Crave's Eric Mack has compiled a list of 10 places we should go next, in search of secret oceans and stunningly violent volcanoes.

Saturn's moon Titan and its liquid lakes make for an appealing deep-space destination. NASA/Steven Hobbs

It's been nearly 45 years since humans first set foot on the moon. The futurists of that era would likely be quite disappointed to know that we still have yet to press much farther into our solar system.

Sure, we've got robots in different area codes all over Mars -- if Mars had area codes -- but it still doesn't feel quite the same as setting human eyes on alien territory. Of course, private and NASA efforts to land humans on the red planet are under way, but why stop there?

In the interests of long-term planning, I've compiled a gallery of the top 10 places in our solar system that are intriguing and -- at least theoretically -- hospitable enough for a manned visit.

Once we've surveyed all the available real estate, maybe we can start talking colonization. Click through the slideshow below for the details on the most interesting destinations in our solar system, and then start packing your great-grandchildren's bags for their trip to the Kuiper Belt.

Read this article:
Hot spots for future manned space missions: Humanity's bucket list