Would you go to Mars?

[Dark Nation]

According to Slashdot, scientists have proposed that a manned mission to Mars would be cheaper and more feasible if it were one-way. So, the question arose, if you knew you were going to die within a certain amount of time anyway (perhaps a death row inmate with no chance of pardon, etc.), would you be willing to take a one-way trip to Mars for the purpose of study/research? And in the case of catastrophic failure, cyanide (or some other gentle killing drug) caplets would be provided for everyone to take in case death by asphyxiation is imminent, etc.

So, knowing you were going to die anyway, and given the choice, would you prefer to die on Earth or take a chance on dying on Mars?

[Anthus]

I'd rather die on Earth. I was born here, so it only makes sense.

[Cloral]

If it was that or die by lethal injection, then what the hell, I'd go. I mean, I'd pay to go to Mars if I knew I'd be able to get back, so going and not getting back would beat certain death for me.

[jerome]

I suppose I'd go. That is, given your hypothetical situation. But if it meant that I end up looking all Total Recall'd soon, I don't know about that. There'd have to be a lot of ways to have food. And if that way was ONLY vegetables, I'd surely die. (Kind of like on Mission to Mars).

[Mercy]

Can we call the first colony "Botany Bay II"? I would go. Perhaps I have just read too much Heinlein but certain death versus learning something new,new to the entire species no less, I am in.

Personal survival instinct and insatiable curiosity aside, I am not keen on the idea of humans living off world. We have not figured out how to do it right on this planet and mucking up more of the universe seems like a bad idea.


-m.

[Beldaran]

I would not go. I really don't think there's anything productive to learn by going to Mars. We ought to focus our efforts on solving the many interesting scientific and engineering challenges that exist here on earth. Or, if people are dead set on going to Mars, we ought to focus on making such a trip safe, quick, and round-trip. Simply flinging some hapless moron at the planet will not advance us in any particularly useful or interesting way.

[Starkist]

A local talk radio host in Seattle interviewed the WSU professor who proposed this idea. http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=577&a=22766&p=6&n=

It does not sound appealing to me. Maybe if instead of Mars it was an idyllic paradise untouched by mankind rather than a barren rock face with no oxygen and deadly radiation outside, then I might go for it. Still, if we are ever to seriously explore beyond our atmosphere then missions like this must eventually take place.