Mars Journal Issue Inspires Hundreds of One-Way Trip Volunteers 475
Velcroman1 writes "An interplanetary trip to Mars could take as little as 10 months, but returning would be virtually impossible — making the voyage a form of self-imposed exile from Earth unlike anything else in human history. What would inspire someone to volunteer? A special edition of the Journal of Cosmology detailed 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. 'I've had a deep desire to explore the universe ever since I was a child and understood what a rocket was,' said Peter Greaves, the father of three, and a jack-of-all-trades who started his own motorcycle dispatch company and fixes computers and engines on the side. 'I envision life on Mars to be stunning, frightening, lonely, quite cramped and busy,' he said. Given the difficulties of the mission, Lana Tao, the editor of the Journal, said she was surprised by the response. 'At first we thought the e-mails were a joke... then we realized they were completely serious.'"
Of course, they'd have to compete with the thousands of you who said you'd go.
Can I send... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Hold on... (Score:5, Funny)
Deep Space exploration? You mean like Event Horizon?
Re:offer it to people in prison there are some sma (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Hold on... (Score:4, Funny)
"So, your resume looks quite strong, and medical says that you are cleared for prolonged periods of weightlessness and are highly resistant to disorientation and nausea. Very promising."
"Thank you, I have the greatest enthusiasm for the mission!"
"Just one thing, before I answer any questions you might have: Purely out of curiosity, do you have any sort of latent trauma in your background that might be triggered in a fairly easy-to-do-the-special-effects-for sort of way where you, hypothetically, trapped on a derelict vessel steeped in the ultimate evil of a dimension as alien to the laws of physics as it is repulsive to the idea of a loving God?"
"Umm... What?"
Re:Psychological Profile (Score:4, Funny)
People sitting on top of a huge pile of explosives built by the cheapest bidder to be blown in space are not very sane by your standards even if they do plan on coming back.
Re:What really concerns me (Score:5, Funny)
>Simply because one has sired offspring does not imply that they are or should be dependent upon one forever.
Would you please call my children and have a long talk with them?
Re:What really concerns me (Score:5, Funny)
If you have children that are born on Mars, aren't they, by default, ...
Martians?
But when they grow up, they will try to come to Earth in search of better opportunities. Goddamn illegal aliens!