It will be a while if we merely sit and wait for the public fear to be beaten down by economic desperation. However, that's not a reliable strategy - by the time the general public is feeling the pinch enough to overcome their fear, that same pinch may make the transition difficult to impossible.

Proactive education and vision by popular leaders is another way to overcome fear.

I don't think fear is keeping us off Mars. Lack of any foreseeable return on the investment is keeping us off Mars.