Paws for thought

Today the short list of 100 people (out of 200,000 applications) for the first one way trip to Mars has been announced.

I have been trying to adopt the mindset of someone who would want to apply. I haven't got very far. I can see a number of potential problems, but I am a cup half empty sort of person.

The man instigating the trip has said that even if it doesn't happen it will move man's thinking forward. I agree with him. Scientists at MIT have calculated that the astronauts will die within 68 days of leaving earth. I agree with them. 

However, proposed take off isn't until 2024, so the lucky candidates have time to change their minds.

Update: I texted a friend who is an astrophysicist and this was his reply:
"Rather goes against the spirit of human exploration which ws never about suicide missions. One wonders what reaction Kennedy would have got if he had proposed a one way mission to the moon! By the way C* knows one of the girls on the short list. Love R xxx"

C* is R's daughter, who is also a phsyicist.