One-way ticket to Mars
When I first read that article (click the title above to read it), I quickly made up my mind that the people who would be interested in this idea would be Death Deifiers with a strong dose of Thanatos in their personalities. After I carefully read the article I concluded that not only would I need to change my opinion but, in fact, I was strongly attracted to the idea. This may call for a bit of explanation.
I have long held a fantasy that if I were in a rowboat after a shipwreck and the rowboat, which was built to hold 12 people, had, in fact, 13, and the winds began to blow, shipping water over the overloaded rowboat and threatening to sink it, I would quietly, at night, slip over the side so as to not endanger the rest of the people. I have lived with this thought most of my life and I am sure that I would act upon it.
The article cited four examples of why people would be motivated to take this one way journey and I strongly identified with each one of them. The one that I will never forget is the letter written by Jessica Sloan as follows:
"First families
Jessica Sloan, 27, Rosslyn
The one-way trip would be on condition that my boyfriend and I go together.
I’ve wanted to go into space since I was 2. According to my parents, my first word after “Mom” and “Dad” was “moon.” My partner and I have something very important to offer: the fact that we come as a unit. Families have been the building blocks of any sustainable colony on Earth, and I don’t see why another planet would be any different. If Mars is the next frontier, I can’t think of any greater honor as a human being than to be among those who helped develop this frontier into a new and sustainable place for human life to continue. No one will come back, and not everyone will survive, but those who do will have great-great-great-great-grandchildren who can tell a Post reporter about how their ancestors set out one day to change mankind forever. How cool is that?"
Brava, Jessica, you are the essence of nobility, I am proud to claim you as a sister.
Star struck Sparky
1 comments:
I wasn´t aware there was a contest. I wanna go!
Ever since I watched the Apollo flights and saw 2001
I´ve wanted to go to Mars. I figured Id have to wait until I died and had my head frozen then blasted into space (wasn´t that Tim Leary´s idea?)
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