Poll Mars To Stay

[Ghostrider]

Going to Mars on a one-way trip is dumb. First of all, it's not another place on Earth we're talking about: there's no life-sustaining ecosystem there, and here on Earth we've managed to have colonization fail in places where there happened to be all the necessary conditions to support human life.

Any outpost on Mars will be relying on supplies sent from Earth. Miss a couple of supply drops, and you'll have people dying out there in full view of an interconnected humanity which will watch with morbose fascination as your explorer/martyrs die horribly. Worst. PR. Ever.

What exactly would we be accomplishing by sending people there and marooning them in place? You need a sizable population in order to properly colonize. We're not Norsemen with axes in Greenland, on Mars you will need highly specialized and trained personnel. It takes time and money to train such people. Why do you think we have ejection seats on fighter planes? Because we care about the pilots? No, because a fighter pilot is worth a dumptruckload of money in training and his experience is very valuable. It's easier to manufacture planes than to train pilots. Same thing with astronauts or anyone you're planning to send on Mars - unless you want them to die along the way or shortly after touchdown.

And then if you want your colony to keep going for more than one generation you need means to train the next guys in line, who were born there. More infrastructure, more problems.

We cannot go to Mars to stay. Not for a very long time, which is becoming longer every day as we turn inward gazing at our collective, lint-filled navel. On the Moon at least you can come back in 3 days whenever you want if there's an emergency.

 

[Turbinator]

I found this to be funny.

 

[RisingFury]

Of course, we could turn Mars into a penal colony like Australia. Not Really. I don't want to let criminals live the dreams of so many decent people. Even if the good people would return and the criminals don't.

Eh! Send the suckers to Venus!

WIN! :lol:


On a more serious note... you send peeps to Mars and because you don't have the capability to send them back, I can assume the payload is limited enough that they won't be able to "live off the land". So once their resources are done... do what? Give them a cyanide pill?

No one way ticket for me, thank you.

 

[Keatah]

I would definitely volunteer for a one way Mars mission.
I would have absolutely no problem with dying on Mars.

But when it came down to climbing into the capsule you might have 2nd thoughts. And when on mars for 20 years with no return option, you would definitely have 3rd thoughts. That I can promise you!

 

[jedidia]

I think IF I would go, I would pass up the chance of returning to earth for retirement. Seriously, I had enough trouble getting back to switzerland for two years after 3 years in Bosnia, I couldn't imagine the kind of cultural re-adaption someone in this situation would have to go through.

 

[statickid]

I don't believe the topic is about the logistics of it, I think it is a question of who thinks they are able to say goodbye to earth. IMO the real question here is "who would go on a one way space flight." Not to speak for the thread maker though:shifty:... that's just the impression I got. Hence the basis of my answer being yes as long as the trip was equiped for my lifetime, realistic or not.

 

[Izack]

I don't believe the topic is about the logistics of it, I think it is a question of who thinks they are able to say goodbye to earth.

Good point.

Personally I wouldn't go. I get antsy if I drive down a street I'm not familiar with. Heaven knows what I'd feel like on an alien world. :lol:

But, if there are people willing to do some of the jobs here on Earth, there are people willing to go one-way to Mars.

Back off-topic a little bit and into the logistics, I don't think small 6-man trips is the right way to do it. I think if a reasonably-sized habitat were to be sustainable, the vast majority of infrastructure and supplies would have to be shipped to Mars in advance of a human crew. Also, whatever ship brought the first settlers would have to bring a whole bunch of them at once, or else every individual crewman would have to be trained in 50 different specialised tasks, not to mention be extremely stable mentally and emotionally, well-tempered and perfectly fit with the other crewmembers, or else problems would certainly arise.

Or maybe we can just send robots...

 

[Unstung]

Staying on Mars for the rest of my life? The Internet connection better be good.

Still, no. The gravity is also a big problem. And all the other confinements.

 

[Kyle]

That scene was based on a real idea that was presented to NASA and to which NASA ignored.



Source: http://beyondapollo.blogspot.com/2010/09/one-way-space-man-1962.html

That's a fun idea. Put a guy on Mars, and keep sending him supplies until we figure a way to get him back!

 

[Iberville]

I guess one of the very good thing of learning to play Orbiter, and reading about space science since a few months have been to realize (for me) how difficult it is to live outside earth. Gravity, radiation, sustainment, heat, cold, etc... all of those make it, in my opinion, almost impossible to actually colonize an other planet or space habitat. Just think about all the psychological factor, human factors, family issues, well, all the problems we face on earth would be much more complicated in space.
No, I gues that if we ever see a mars landing, it is the most far we will physically ever go! I am still hoping for my suborbital ride in a few years though!

 

[Pyromaniac605]

Of course, we could turn Mars into a penal colony like Australia. Not Really. I don't want to let criminals live the dreams of so many decent people. Even if the good people would return and the criminals don't.

If you want to make a planet Australia 2.0 and send criminals there, send them to Pluto, let 'em freeze! :lol:

Darren

 

[Rtyh-12]

I think staying on Mars for a lifetime is a good time to practice flight maneuvers in Orbiter.

P.S.:Why to Pluto? Send them to Venus, let'em cook!

(Just thinking of a movie: Australia Reloaded:Revenge of the Cooked.)