> So maybe this explains why we haven't made it to Mars yet. It takes a lot of teamwork and combined brain power to put together such an event, but if the people who truly want it to happen work better alone, that presents a problem. I imagine most of us think it would be "cool" to go on a space lark, but when it comes down to it, I don't know if we'd all be so hasty to jump on a spaceship. Consider the conditions that Wolf just described, and then imagine yourself being subjected to training so harsh that it makes you physically ill. Add to that the fact that you would be leaving the comfortable place known as Earth, and you might be thinking twice about it.

In the beginning of the colonization, yes, there would be rigorous training for the astronauts involved. By the time commercial space flight becomes commonplace, there would be no need for passengers on a Moon-bound or Mars-bound flight to go through as extensive a training period.

For the beginning of the colonization effort, they wouldn't send Joe Everyman on the trips. They'd send people who would want to go through the training in order to have the experience of going to Mars.

It's like a unit of long range recon soldiers. You're talking Army guys who go through a lot of training (a lot of teamwork and combined brain power to put together such an event), who will be working in small groups behind enemy lines (the people who truly want it to happen work better alone).

They found astronauts for the Apollo missions. The tourists were supposed to go later.

> Ell"Wouldn't mind taking a spaceship to New Hampshire"myruh

-FP