14 ms·
Ask HN: Would you signup for a one-way trip to Mars?
I fantasized about this since I was a kid. Now it seems (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/science/a-one-way-trip-to-mars-many-would-sign-up.html) the one-way trip is seriously being considered.
So, my question is: Would you signup for a trip knowing that you have a short time, say 4 weeks, of life left once you there (assuming everything goes OK)?
Would people who agree to such a thing be psychologically balanced enough, especially on the planed to conduct any missions?
But what a few weeks it would be!
- _RPM 12y agoAbsolutely not.
- codeonfire 12y agoNo. Trade a lifetime for a few weeks of looking at some rocks that I already have pictures of? I think most would change their mind just after the point of no return. It's better to just go camping in Arizona for a few days.
- kenCode 12y agobigtime Trekkie, but i am also a big fan of Earth too.
- anon261114 12y agoIf it's just a 4 week sightseeing tour, no. But if it's a long term colonization mission, yes. I don't mind the lack of people, because I live like a hermit anyway right here on earth, shunning just about all social interactions (well, ok, I do surf HN now and then, but I have also gone many days without it). I am what people call a loner. Books and writing are my only, and preferred, companions. I don't get bored sitting and working from home all day. I work for clients only because I need money to survive on Earth; I suspect that's not so much of a problem on Mars and I can spend all my time on my own interests. I don't feel the need to talk or call anybody. I don't see - or even have - TV. I do need the Internet often for research, but an offline dump is fine. I can cook. I am very fit. I work out and exercise, without going to a gym. I enjoy hiking by myself in remote areas. I can live without love. I don't want a wife or children. I've been in love in the past, but I realized it's just not for me. It did not in any way add to my happiness, though the people I loved were good loving people themselves. I'm almost middle aged, so I've already proved that I can live happily without relationships. I have good programming, hardware, electronics and mechanical chops, and a hardcore DIY attitude. I'm comfortable with experimentation, physics and chemistry. Somebody with my psychology and skills would probably be quite useful for something like building and maintaining a space station for years on end. What I don't know is whether space agencies consider somebody with my personality as a misfit.I'm indeed a misfit, but it's only because I'm stuck in earth society, while I actually prefer not to be in society at all. Not everything gets done better through teamwork, as I discovered often when I was a salaried employee working in teams. But do space agencies realize it, or do they put ability to work in a team above all else? I don't know, but hopefully they keep an open mind.
- bob917 12y agoYes, I would happily buy my wife one.