Regarding the desire to emigrate from Earth

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Yes, but they can always go to home port in case of trouble, or call for rescue. That just won't be available on Mars.

Not quite true. The first astronauts will have the return vehicles sent and arrive first prior to the launching of the personnel mission, at least if Mars Direct is followed. And yes, that is, at first, a research program rather than a colonization program. However the amount of fuel necessary to launch the same mass to any given velocity is 1/5th on Mars as compared to that on Earth, so the cost of leaving and returning is much less than going to Mars in the first place, should a colonist wish to return to the comforts of Earth and its crappy governments and such and so forth that they would miss so dearly.

Well, sure with a government behind you, I thought this thread was about just up and moving to Mars.

You thought this thread, "Regarding the desire to emigrate from Earth", was about ,"just up and moving to Mars"?

Yes, I thought it was someone's desire to leave Earth and move to Mars. That's what the initial post was about, freedom and getting away from governments.

Of course, I always assume that I will be doing it by myself.

I suppose in regard to taxpayer based financing that would be a contradiction in appearance, although my original post was more general than that. Yes, my primary speculation is that the same reasons for the desires to leave one's world of origin would be similar to the reasons many had for leaving the Old World for the New World back during the colonial period of North America. Although I suppose among the multitude of people were myriad reasons for leaving, mine would be "I'm sick of this planet." However, the method of financing, so long as its legal, would not matter to me. It would be preferable if it were possible to buy ones own ticket, and hopefully that may be possible sooner rather than later. If it's ever down to even $25,000 per person, then it would be extremely feasible. People could save and sell and such and get out there. I know there's more to it than just getting to Mars and I know how inhospitable the environment is, but I rather live on the frontier and work to survive and thrive than continue living on the Eastern Seaboard with all the nasty cities and power and control freaks trying to play kings of their own pathetic little hills.

OK, so you realize an airtight Winnebago motor home just won't work. Some people think you can just plop down and set up camp.

I live on the frontier of sorts, it's even called the Lost Coast. We get cut off from the rest of the world occasionally.

You see I'd be the opposite, I wouldn't like to confine myself to one planet.
Id have to be a hermit with a spaceship, with a lot of life in me.

Because I believe you dont have to own the universe to enjoy it, just to
experience it is enough...... and yeah, I know it sounds slightly cliche
but thats my opinion on the matter

A pressurized recreational vehicle would be nice as a ground transport, but you need a lot more than that. Basics are food, air, water, and heat. For food, you need a greenhouse with enough plants at various cycles to provide a near constant supply of food and some to store and some seeds to replant. For air, some can be recycled with the plants and some via non-biological processes. There are peroxides ubiquitous upon the surface of Mars allowing for oxygen to be released from water should an emergency supply of oxygen be needed. Water is deeper within the soil in permafrost and there's some in the norther ice sheets, and at certain times of year (due to Mars atmospheric temperature and pressure range encompassing the triple point of water) liquid water flowing as evidenced by the MRS orbiter. Power can be obtained "geo"thermally, using underground heat sources to warm water to boiling point and sending the steam through turbines connected to a Faraday induction generator (or multiple ones and using multiple locations for a level of redundancy.)

Firefly was a cool show wasn't it?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaLPpKCC9pg[/youtube]

just as [as tom wolfe pithily described] astronauts have to have "the right stuff" [combo of extremely high levels of education, cunning, physical strength/endurance, level headedness under extreme stress, genius-level intelligence] to make it in space, why would civilian astronauts not have to have the same kind of right stuff to make it on mars or wherever? it surely is not for joe sixpack or even joseph merlot, but more like real "right stuff" astronaut types that would be the only ones qualified to live in those conditions, well and long away from the back-up resources of earth. other folks envisioning themselves as a bootstrapped cache of cash away from the first waves of civilian earth refugees, may have a disturbing encounter with a harsh and unexpected reality facing them sometime in the spacefaring future. people of average intelligence and physicality would have to wait for a long time before enough right stuff people would have blazed the path to the point where regular folk can safely step in behind. just a thought.

ahh, but the inheriant danger is the fun part, coz then you don't know what you're going to face.
Did Chris Columbus and Ed Shackleton know what was ound the corner at any time?

I just love the exploration of space, just to see strange new things, and to overcome the dangers as well.
Isn't that what Humans are good at? lol

And also, I loved Firefly, I wish they'd bring it back!! !

Unless one is careful the seed for new power mongers will be brought with the astronauts. Bring one psychopath, narcissist etc.. and there will be problem.

Otoh Joe sixpack that plays with the airlock because it's fun might have an final reality check.

oh so true Cos, one psychopath could lead to a problem!
But we could always just send the one psychopath on his own?

Well, everyone can undergo training, learn as they need to, lose weight, etc. "Right Stuff" isn't genetic, but learned and as long as people are willing to learn and put their minds to learning they will learn. Those willing to do what they need to do could be said to be those with the "right stuff".