Hypothetically speaking, if NASA chose u to go to Mars, would u do it, or stay home and watch others do it?

Question

Hypothetically speaking, if NASA were to choose you to go to Mars, along with a crew of other astronauts on the world's first manned mission to Mars, would you do it? Give me an HONEST answer.

Consider the fact that it takes like 9 months to to get to Mars from Earth. Consider the fact that you're the first people in history to ever embark on such a mission. Consider the fact that once you arrive on Mars you will obviously spend a lot of time there because you spent allot of time getting there. Consider the fact that know one has ever set up camp on extraterrestrial lands before. Consider the fact that one you do, and if you arrive on Mars safe and sound, you have to embark on another 9 months trip back to Earth. Consider the huge amount of time you're going to spend traveling there, spending there, and coming back from there, the longer the mission the greater the chance of something going wrong and you dying.

I gave this a lot of thought and at first i figured that i would rather stay at home and watch someone else go on Mars, because its a long mission, leaving a lot of things to go wrong, and i was thinking if me and my crew were able to land on Mars safe and sound, i would probably feel great at first, but then i would have the dreadful that of making it back to Earth safe and sound, what if something happens to our oxygen while we are on Mars, what if we don't exceed Mar's escape velocity when leaving Mars? Making us plumet back towards the planet and die, or what if we get hit by a little tiny pebble sized meteor on the to or back from Mars?

But to me, it would all depend on ho wmuch i had to lose, im a young person so i still have my future ahead of me. If in the future I am rich and successful, and i have a nice family and a great life, i would nicely refuse the offer, and watch the crew of astronaughts from home. But if i'm just a guy with an average income, and not much to lose, it would be a great opportunity for me and i would do it in a heartbeat.

So that's my answer to my own question, but please do share your own, ans give an HONEST well thought answer.

Imagine NASA showing up on your door saying they want you to go to Mars with their crew, would you say yes or no?

I already told you my answer, it would depend on how much i had in life to lose. Anything can go wrong on the way there, while you're there, or on the way home.

(I'm sorry i type too much, but i think it's an interesting question.)

Answer 1

I would happily go.  I get teary eyed just watching the Apollo 11 moon landing, I would love to something like that first hand.  Walking on Mars would be the greatest thing I could ever achieve in my life, no matter what else happened in my life after that I would die with a smile on my face.

Answer 2

I am a professional astronomer, and as such, my curiosity is greater than my instinct for self preservation, so yes, I would go in a heartbeat!

Answer 3

YES! YES! YES!...

I have the same reaction as Harvey to the Apollo 11 footage.

I have wanted to be an astronaut since I was 5 yrs old.

And I got as far as getting a PhD in Astronomy yo try to get there...

(I'm not a tenured astrophysics prof)

At the age of 37, the ONLY thing that would stop me is my kids.

Right now they are pretty young, so I don't think they could talk me out of it, but in the next few years, they might develop that skill.

This is nothing in all the downsides to going on such a trip that is bad enough to make me think it a bad idea. We have to take risks in life to do anything worthwhile...

Answer 4

I would absolutely do it because it is the coolest thing ever! I would also get to meet aliens (if I'm lucky) and learn more about their planet and how they became so much more advanced than we are. They also might know cures for people that have cancer or other diseases that we think aren't curable. To answer your question (if I haven't already), I would do it and other people should do it to find out more about other lifeforms and possibly themselves.

Answer 5

Very good question and answer.

To be honest, I wouldn't have the patience to be in a little spaceship travelling for so many months just to step on a planet with no definite atmosphere. Instead, I'd probably help here on Earth to make sure everything's going to plan. Ahahaha.

Cool experience nevertheless. I'm sure NASA would have to do a LOT of testing just to make sure the ride there is durable. Outer space is a very tricky place, I bet.

Answer 6

I'm 34 years old and i know i could handle being alone on a mission to Mars but being with other astronauts with different and possibly annoying personality traits might prove a problem, i still think a 9 month trip would be an adventure and would go for sure, i wouldn't be so worried about a disaster happening because N.A.S.A. has emergency back up plans for there back up plans, i would be more worried about my health, i have Gout and my bones would only get worse on the trip from the bone deterioration that happens in low to zero gravity, also i seem to be prone to kidney stones so medically N.A.S.A. wouldn't allow me to go but i would try and go even with my medical problems.

Answer 7

No I wouldn't even though I would really love to go!!

I've always wanted to be an astroanaut.

But it was when I was 7 years old,so I reconsidered when my teenage friend said this, "You're going to die no matter what."

She was trying to scare me...

Answer 8

No question.

Exploration and science are two of the noblest tasks to ever have occupied human hands. I would be honored to be part of such a huge step in the progression of them. It would mark a new era in human history and if the greatest minds of our time said I was one of the best choices for the mission I would go and fulfill the mission to the best of my abilities. If the mission were to follow Zubrin's Mars-Direct or Mars-Semi Direct mission plans it would be a little over 6 months there and 6 months back with over a year in between spent on the Martian surface. Thats 2 years total away from my loved ones, but if they understood me then they would understand why I would have to leave. I would be living my dream...

Fame and stardom back on Earth wouldn't be that bad either =)

As for safety I would have every able bodied engineer behind me ready to fix any problem that might occur at a moments notice and the culmination of thousands of years of technological development. Sure the risks would still exist, but I may die in my sleep tonight or in a car accident tomorrow... I would rather die doing something worthwhile.