Space Odyssey with no Return

[pale_blue_dave]

I'm not sure I'm in the correct forum but here we go.<br /><br />Let's say that you were given the opportunity to participate in a mission that would put you in a spacecraft that would do flyby's of all the outer planets and send you on a trajectory into oblivion (i.e. out of the solar system). You'd be given enough food to live out the rest of your life comfortably. This would be a one-person mission.<br /><br />How many of you would accept? I would definitely ponder it myself, but I believe ultimately I would have to say no. (Wife, family, etc.)<br /><br />What of the people that are actually qualified for this mission? Do you think any of them would step up?

 

[pyoko]

Not if there wasnt a point to it. Living in a ship and dying alone without any point to the mission. If it was to another solar system, that would be different. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p><span style="color:#ff9900" class="Apple-style-span">-pyoko</span> <span style="color:#333333" class="Apple-style-span">the</span> <span style="color:#339966" class="Apple-style-span">duck </span></p><p><span style="color:#339966" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="color:#808080;font-style:italic" class="Apple-style-span">It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.</span></span></p> </div>

 

[alokmohan]

Present technology discourages another solar system.We cannot really go beyond light years.

 

[pale_blue_dave]

There would be a point. Human exploration of the solar system. You'd be the first to lay eyes on Jupiter and Saturn with their beautiful moon systems. You'd be the first to photograph Pluto and Charon (if you beat the New Horizons Probe). You'd give mankind the first eyewitness testimony of a close up Mars. Of course there would be all kinds of experiments to perform and cosmic radiation to measure. I think there are people who would do it for the sake of exploration.<br /><br />I know that the robot probes we send can do almost anything we need them to do, but there's nothing liking being there.

 

[j_rankin]

I'd do it just to get off this god-forsaken planet.

 

[eosophobiac]

I think I'd sign up - is I could take some cd's and a player! <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>