> in those cases, people expected to live there, settle and have children, etc
exactly. These people are choosing to go to Mars without expecting to come back. If they die of old age or catastrophic failure doesn't matter. They willingly had no intent of coming back. So the cheeky comments about only send "old" to Mars is not totally out of line. Just remove the age constraint, and make it people willing to take a one way trip. There are people right now willing to do it.
It totally changes the agenda. If we can just plan on making long term remote isolated bases, then we just focus on that. But it takes the same amount of effort to survive on the surface for short stays that then require the extra effort of returning. So I'm saying we're wasting effort on the first stages including the return. Let the people willing to relocate do it, establish a foot hold so that the "weekenders" can come visit if that's something that is still felt as a need.
Well, sure. As long as they don't cause serious environmental and safety problems while they do it. But that's obviously a personal choice; it's absurd to expect the public finances to support the project. If they want to make money out of weekender tourists, then presumably they are making some kid of business plan; I'm fine with them losing all their money.
exactly. These people are choosing to go to Mars without expecting to come back. If they die of old age or catastrophic failure doesn't matter. They willingly had no intent of coming back. So the cheeky comments about only send "old" to Mars is not totally out of line. Just remove the age constraint, and make it people willing to take a one way trip. There are people right now willing to do it.
It totally changes the agenda. If we can just plan on making long term remote isolated bases, then we just focus on that. But it takes the same amount of effort to survive on the surface for short stays that then require the extra effort of returning. So I'm saying we're wasting effort on the first stages including the return. Let the people willing to relocate do it, establish a foot hold so that the "weekenders" can come visit if that's something that is still felt as a need.