Scientists Propose One-Way Trips To Mars

vortex2.71 writes "Invoking the spirit of Star Trek in a scholarly article entitled 'To Boldly Go,' two scientists contend human travel to Mars could happen much more quickly and cheaply if the missions are made one-way. They argue that it would be little different from early settlers to North America, who left Europe with little expectation of return. 'The main point is to get Mars exploration moving,' said Dirk Schulze-Makuch of Washington State University, who wrote the article in the latest Journal of Cosmology with Paul Davies of Arizona State University. The colleagues state — in one of 55 articles in the issue devoted to exploring Mars — that humans must begin colonizing another planet as a hedge against a catastrophe on Earth."

Comments

I'd go.

[Fzz]

I'm in my early 40s. In 20 years time (when they'd be ready) I'll be in my early 60s. My kids will have left home, and I'll be looking forward to an unexciting retirement. I'm reasonably fit, I've got 20 years of experience as a scientist, some experience as a pilot, and I'm a pretty good general purpose engineer. I'm also pretty self-reliant. Probably roughly the sort of person they'd want.

Would I go? You bet I would. I'm quite serious. I'd far rather do something incredible and useful with the little time I have left than sit around gardening or playing golf.

I'd still go if I knew there were only enough resources to last me 6 months on Mars, and then I had to quietly pop the little red pill. Trading 6 months doing something completely amazing for 20 (expected) rather boring years going slowly senile seems a pretty good trade to me. I'll bet there are quite a few people like me out there.