Mars or Bust... But would you be tempted?

[Macavity]

No argument from me. But, if you are used to regular 2nd (3rd) class travel?

http://en.wikipedia....LK_(spacecraft) - Sorry for lost bracket in link!

The "Lunniy Korabl" - A name doubtless sounding better to Russia Ears?

[JamesF]

However, I suppose they could land and hope the publicity would be enough to have people pay for a "rescue" mission. Perhaps we should send 10 Z-list "celebrities" and ask people to dial a phone number to say which one should be brought back...

A plan with no drawbacks

James

[GrahamJ]

Spend months on end confined in a tiny space & not even land, just loop around & then same on the way back, you would have to be barking to do it,if not you probably would be when you returnned

[E621Keith]

Why cant they land on mars?

Several reasons. In addition to the ones already mention (fuel, lander, suit etc...), biological contamination is going to be the biggest issue.

NASA and all the space agencies are still interested in finding life on Mars. Every Mars lander has been sterilised to avoid contamination from Earth microbes hitching a ride there. You cannot sterilise a living human being, so if anyone land on Mars it will be the end of all "find life on Mars" research. Because after that point, any microbe they find could have originated from Earth.

Biological contamination is not an issue for the moon, but it is an issue for Mars. Landing human on Mars will be the begin terraforming that planet and there will be no going back. It's not a decision any company or individual nation can make.

[Pig]

I dont think returning would come into the equation, at least not in the same condition as when you left

[hypnotoad]

By the time you get there, you`ll probably glowing green from the gamma radiation you may have received, gone totally mad from cabin fever from watch all the TV repeats you`ve been watching and considerably overweight and not been able to put on your new martian , space suit after you have been steadily eating through the rest of the crew after your rations had run out.

hypnotoad.............................