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One-way to Mars = no way to Mars

22 Apr 2013, 17:58 UTC
One-way to Mars = no way to Mars

The one-way-to-Mars idea has been around a long time, and as someone who ended his book on Mars with a section on the various ways in which making the voyage to that particular "other world" could be seen as chiming with the idea of making the voyage to the undiscover'd country of death I have a sense of why it might appeal. But even when it is championed by someone as smart as my friend Paul Davies, as is the case in today's Guardian, it is still a silly idea. Here are extracts from Paul's article with my comments
I am not talking about a suicide mission. With its protective
atmosphere, accessible water and carbon dioxide, and significant
amounts of methane, Mars is one of the few places in the solar system
that could support a human colony. By eliminating the need to transport heavy fuel and equipment for the return journey, costs could be slashed by 80% or more.
Well you can make do without a return vehicle, sure. At the same time, you have to take or pre-position four years of supplies if you are to keep a straight face about "not talking about a suicide mission" -- ...

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