Journey to Nowhere

Who are these people willing to give up life as we know it for a destination fraught with danger and almost certain disappointment? Are they misguided Star Wars fanatics or misanthropes with no links anywhere on earth? Apparently Bangaloreans form a significant number of Indian applicants possibly because ISRO is headquartered there. Are these wannabe Martians sure that earth has nothing more to offer them whether it’s the spectacular beauty of remote islands like Tristan da Cunha or the hostile environment of the Antarctica? Maybe what’s appealing is the chance to shed all baggage for a completely new beginning. A mission to Mars is probably akin to Columbus setting out to sea,directionless,with a hazy notion that the earth is round. Of course,it’s easy to commit to something that is ten years away when it costs a pretty reasonable 38$ (Rs 2,342) to book yourself in the long list. There’s enough time to change your mind,which will probably happen once you’re subjected to the preparatory ordeal of simulated space flights,long periods of isolation and canned food,the lot of all astronauts.

A holiday to Mars would be the adventure of a lifetime. But a permanent move would be really unpleasant. A two-hour long traffic jam in Delhi is frustrating: imagine being huddled in a tiny capsule for the eight-month long voyage,wearing layers of protective clothing to prevent radiation,with random strangers for company. Where you’ll have enough time to ponder over the realisation that you’ll never see anyone you know,ever again. And at the end of the grueling journey,you have no idea what awaits you. If you’re looking for glory as a pathbreaking trendsetter,there are probably easier ways to get noticed on the earth.

Writers like Isaac Asimov and H G Wells have been able to accurately merge human imagination and science. In the eerily profound Ridley Scott film Prometheus,a human expedition travels millions of kilometers beyond the sky to have a meeting with the creator to understand belief,immortality and death. The crew suffers for its pursuit. But a time might come when science might uncover that we are not alone or unique in the universe. Colonising Mars is another step closer to more such like fascinating discoveries.

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