To Boldly Go: Meet the 400 Volunteers for a One-Way Mission to Mars

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A special edition of the Journal of Cosmology details exactly how a privately-funded, one-way mission to Mars could depart as soon as 20 years from now -- and it prompted more than 400 readers to volunteer as colonists.

Interesting article.

I suppose the question is, would you?

Do you think you could handle it mentally and physically?

"Each day will be pretty much like the rest. The environment, once the novelty wears off, is likely to be deadly boring. Despite being well prepared and fully equipped there are certain to be unanticipated problems that cannot be remedied. One by one the crew will get old, sick, and die-off."

I know many of us would love to be part of something like this. What would it take for you to keep the experience fresh while you were there? What would help you keep your sanity?

if i could take my son, I'd go in a second..fresh brand new start

Originally posted by HomerinNC
if i could take my son, I'd go in a second..fresh brand new start

If they could take my son.. Would be good..

Only joking, always wanted to go into space, but not one for me.

Imagine when everyone dies off and you are the last one left..

reply to post by Misterlondon


Damn, I didnt think of that.....
well wait, if families are going, then it would be a self sustaining colony

I'd go in a shot, but I suspect that I am now too old for such ventures..
and besides I doubt my skills would be worth anything on Mars..

reply to post by thoughtsfull


THIS! I have absolutely nothing to offer technically speaking, but would love to just be up there, heading somewhere completely untouched or seen by human eyes, at least in person (depends on the destination I suppose...). As to how I would keep it fresh? Stay busy, just like everyone else in the world. Keeping a list of things needed to be done and then going down it daily to complete the tasks just to keep my mind off the fact I can't head over to the Mexican joint and grab some tacos.

Originally posted by BiggyMcBigPants
reply to post by thoughtsfull

 

THIS! I have absolutely nothing to offer technically speaking, but would love to just be up there, heading somewhere completely untouched or seen by human eyes, at least in person (depends on the destination I suppose...). As to how I would keep it fresh? Stay busy, just like everyone else in the world. Keeping a list of things needed to be done and then going down it daily to complete the tasks just to keep my mind off the fact I can't head over to the Mexican joint and grab some tacos.

I certainly would love to see the untouched, and unspoilt... what a sight to behold..

I'm not even sure I would be bothered by the destination

Sadly tho, where ever man goes, so does the mess and baggage, and am sure in no time every other crater would have a fast food outlet

I would go, no question, though in 20 years (minimum goal) I may not make the age-cut (so sad) but for those who are now aware of this plan, 20 years is plenty of time to start working towards something like this, if one has the ambition. There will be a multitude of various skilled trades/professions needed and it may take the next 20 years for many people to work up to the experience. Cool plans. Love to see this long-term goal in action.

I've said it many times before here at ATS I'd go even with the risks and dangers of dying.

But that's just me.

I'd be the first one on the bus and ready to ride , although 20 years from now I will probably have already 'left the building' , if so , maybe I'll see some of you guys there .

Makes me wonder though , how long do you suppose it would take for 400 people to go stark raving mad ?

Originally posted by Misterlondon

Originally posted by HomerinNC
if i could take my son, I'd go in a second..fresh brand new start

If they could take my son.. Would be good..

Only joking, always wanted to go into space, but not one for me.

Imagine when everyone dies off and you are the last one left..

Do you really think the 400 would would die off and people would be bored? I dont...

I'm quite sure people will still have sex and have babies, and i very much doubt the world would just forget about them...there would be more and more colonies.

This truly truly very exciting news!!!!!

reply to post by BiggyMcBigPants


Every colony would need laborers...

reply to post by Juston


Really depends.

What's the goal? What are they going to be doing?

It can't be well thought out. There is literally an entire planet to Terraform. An atmospheric layer for protection to create. There is the work or thousands of lifetimes to be done.

What they hell are they doing that they think people will be bored????

Why are there no plans for children, and what happens to them?

If this is a plan for colonisation, it stinks.

not sure what the time delay on transmissions from Earth to Mars is, but they should start broadcasting news and sports , movies and new shows in a timely fashion so they are received when they arrive. Also a few Kindles with 3k books on them would keep them amused for hours.

For me though if I went up there and joined the no return colony, I would appoint myself chief archaeological digman and stave off the boredom by rooting through the (hopefully) old civilisations of Mars buried detritus and ruins.

At the weekends I would set as many Mars records as possible. Landspeed, running, high jump, you name it I would set that record.

Oh and make a still Definitely make a still!

As some one who is only 19 years old with A LOT of things left to do and learn, i would still gladly volunteer to go on a mission like this at my current age (granted I'd probably be closer to 40 when this happens).

I mean it's incredible just to think about it, landing on another freaking planet! To go where no one else before has gone and do something monumental for the entire human race. Even "once the novelty wears off" and the solitude really does set in, i feel it would still be worth it to go down in history.

I would just have to make sure to bring lots of books (maybe ebooks heh)

Hell yeah I'd go, and if anyone here would dare say it was a hoax, I'd personally come after them.

I have shared this information with a few family and friends, and to my surprise, many said they'd go!!

I think I would totally be interested in going, if only it were not a one-way trip..


Someone explain to me why it HAS to be a one-way trip

reply to post by ButterCookie


It doesn't 'have to be' one way it would just be so damn expensive with todays tech to get a return. I guess just taking enough fuel there for the flight back would exponentially increase the amount of fuel needed to get there if you see what I mean.

There's nothing to say that tech wouldn't advance whilst the first colonists were there and that after ten years a boat back could be arranged.

in 20 years i will be 46. my wife as well. my 2 daughters would be 21 and 25. my 1 year old would probably go cuz shes a little astronutt as it is (lol) but as long as my wife went with me (which im sure she would) i would have no second thoughts. i really wouldnt care what would happen once we got there. hell, we could die 5 minutes after the landing and i would be content with the trip and just knowing i was on an other planet.

i would bring millions of all sorts of seeds (especially the good ones ). i would mainly bring corn so that i could create and collect bio diesel just in case one day we all/or some of us decide to come back.

but i wouldn't want to stop at mars. after about 5 years i would like to have an other ship so that i could shoot my self and my wife out into space and spend my last days drifting between the stars.

maybe i will be found by an alien race and given my youth back and the technology so i can repet the process over and over so that i can keep on drifting.

GOTTA LOVE A DREAM!