KMustard

What do you think are key fields of study necessary for ushering in a new era of humankind?

If light is truly the speed limit of our universe, then the best we can do is a transmission using light. There are other factors to consider, including the position of the planets (both are revolving around the sun at different rates) but the worst case scenario is it takes approximately 20-24 minutes for light to travel between the two bodies. And in the best case scenario, only about 13 minutes.

It should also be noted that this estimate is for a one-way transmission. Meaning it would take at least 26 minutes for two parties to greet each other. So the best we can really do is "slow e-mail". Also I doubt that early Mars colonists would have access to their own exclusive satellite dish. Most likely any communications setup would be strictly managed (they have limited bandwidth) so that important mission data could be transmitted smoothly. So you probably wouldn't be sending/receiving HD video messages from your friends/family every day.

Do you really say "Oumuamua" every time you refer to this object?