If you could emigrate to Mars, but could never come back to Earth, would you go?

chequita guevara · January 9, 2004, 18:14

Given that Mars' gravety is much lower than our own, if you spent any significant time there, you'd be physically unable to return to Earth. What with the time in transit round trip and the time on Mars, your bones and muscles would probably be unable to take the strain of normal Earth gravety, let alone re-entry.

So, would you move to Mars (assuming an infrastructure there to support it) or stay here on Earth.

I'd like to go, but there's places I'd like to see on Earth first.

laurentius · January 9, 2004, 18:18

No, I still have unfinished business here.

VetLegion · January 9, 2004, 19:40

But think of the Red Mars, che, think of the possibilities

General Ludd · January 9, 2004, 19:46

I wouldn't go to mars wether I could come back or not.

:) Smiley · January 9, 2004, 19:56

If they got high-speed internet, hell yeah.

mrmitchell · January 9, 2004, 20:10

The muscle problem is big with shuttles, stations, and the moon too...IIRC...the solution is long and streneuous exercise (and I'm pretty sure the astronauts are required to eat a better diet too).

SlowwHand · January 9, 2004, 20:39

This is a poll Fez would be proud of.

Drogue · January 9, 2004, 21:15

Nope. I like Earth just fine

Bereta_Eder · January 9, 2004, 21:16

Ditto.

Maniac · January 9, 2004, 21:17

I guess it all depends on who would go with me.

Spiffor · January 9, 2004, 21:20

If it's a place free to begin a socialist paradise, count me in

Otherwise, if there's nothing to do more than in Earth, certainly not. I'm all right here.

Lancer · January 9, 2004, 22:11

Not for a few hundred thousand years, when it's like earth.

Urban Ranger · January 9, 2004, 22:25

Depends on if there's a good reason for me to go.

Alex · January 9, 2004, 22:56

I'd go. Anything has to be better than this stinking place we call Earth.

mrmitchell · January 9, 2004, 22:58

If we can terraform Mars, or adapt an economy to it, it will be the biggest land rush in history. Think of it! An entire free planet of real estate! The surpluses of Earthling population would fill it up within minutes.

Imagine! Free land! Oppurtunity! A new start!

EDIT: And then, unfortunately, I rethought this one, and remembered the likelyhood that some ugly corporation would purchase it and turn it into a shithole.

PLATO · January 9, 2004, 23:00

I would love the challenge of taming a planet! BUT, Smiley's requirement would be a must!

Al'Kimiya · January 9, 2004, 23:16

HELL YES!

One cannot get too much red dust and rocks.

mrmitchell · January 9, 2004, 23:24

The Martian Frontier. Millions of acres of pre-terraformed terrain, capable of growing any Earthling crop or supporting any Earthling livestock. And none of those pesky natives or wild animals either, just a vast, empty blank slate of expanse...40 acres free! Each additional 40 is only $10! The spacerail will provide a quick 2-week trip to any major Martian city.

When this happens, Earth will be a crowded, hungry, tired mass of poor. The factors will be ripe for a mass migration. It will be the biggest of history.

Space05us · January 9, 2004, 23:29

I like Earth just fine thanks. However if I were forced to go to Mars (provided it was habitable) I wouldn't resist.

Joseph · January 10, 2004, 00:12

At my age, I would go in a hearth beat.

TCO · January 10, 2004, 00:23

HELL NO. NO CHIKAS THERE. aND CRAPY DIALUP CONNECTION

Skanky Burns · January 10, 2004, 00:25

Depends on the number of females also moving there...

Ted Striker · January 10, 2004, 00:26

but they got verizon wireless on mars

"can you hear me now? GOOD!"

Agathon · January 10, 2004, 00:28

I'd selflessly give up my seat so that Bush could go.

TCO · January 10, 2004, 00:31

dEAN IS ALREADY THERE.

Dr Strangelove · January 10, 2004, 01:34

Has anyone ever made a serious attempt to figure out whether it's really possible to terraform Mars? The planet has less gravity, so even if you could release a bunch of Oxygen and Nitrogen above the surface would the gravitational field be able to maintain a sufficient atmosphere, or would so much escape into space that the air would not be sustain human life? While "greenhouse gases" can be used to trap heat, Mars is 50% further from the sun than the Earth, so the density of light striking the planet's surface is about one half of that striking the Earth. Would the concentration of gases needed to trap sufficient heat to make the temperature of the Martian atmosphere tolerable be toxic?

Drake Tungsten · January 10, 2004, 02:14

Quote:

dEAN IS ALREADY THERE.

KrazyHorse · January 10, 2004, 02:19

Quote:

Originally posted by PLATO
I would love the challenge of taming a planet! BUT, Smiley's requirement would be a must!

ping>1 000 000 at best

KrazyHorse · January 10, 2004, 02:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
Has anyone ever made a serious attempt to figure out whether it's really possible to terraform Mars? The planet has less gravity, so even if you could release a bunch of Oxygen and Nitrogen above the surface would the gravitational field be able to maintain a sufficient atmosphere, or would so much escape into space that the air would not be sustain human life? While "greenhouse gases" can be used to trap heat, Mars is 50% further from the sun than the Earth, so the density of light striking the planet's surface is about one half of that striking the Earth. Would the concentration of gases needed to trap sufficient heat to make the temperature of the Martian atmosphere tolerable be toxic?

Leaking would take a few million years (IIRC)

For moon it's on order of a hundred thousand years.

KrazyHorse · January 10, 2004, 02:23

rms velocity of O2 at room temperature is something like 400 metres/sec

escape velocity of moon is 11 000 m/s