IMO, your argument against the one-way colonization-style approach to putting humans on Mars appears to have a strong bias against the possibility of it being done by other than a government sponsored agency.<br /><br />I would strongly agree with you that there is close to a zero possibility that any rational government would send humans to Mars without providing for their safe return. We might send our young men off to die for their country for some political purpose, but there is no political justification (at this time in history) for sending anyone to Mars on what most would consider a suicidal adventure.<br /><br />I would also agree with you that at some point having the means to travel back and forth between the two planets is highly desirable. Whether this capability is required to set up a colony and transport the initial population is another story.<br /><br />I'm willing to bet that, given the Earth's entire human population, there would be sufficient, qualified volunteers for a one-way trip to Mars. I think such an effort would have to be sufficiently planned and funded to give these colonists a reasonable expectation of living out long and fruitful lives on Mars. That, of course, is a big problem with the whole idea, but one in which enough resources and ingenuity could overcome.<br /><br />I also agree with you that it is premature to be making plans for any trip to Mars until the technology has matured and, especially with private enterprise, the capability to make it happen has been sufficiently demonstrated. I'm confident that, sooner or later, a private company will have that capability. Mr. Musk hopes that company will be SpaceX. He wants to send humans to Mars. He's thinking about ways to do it. I applaud him for the effort and look forward to seeing him put his thoughts into action. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>