NOPE! NOPE! NOPE! NOT GOING TO MARS

NOPE! NOPE! NOPE! NOT GOING TO MARS

By Andy Weddington

Wednesday, 28 May 2025

It's going to be a bummer if Mars turns out to be like us.  - Newt Gingrich

Elon Musk's SpaceX team is launching great big rockets.

A couple days ago another achievement towards his objective - Mars.

He is determined.

Not only to reach but colonize (with humans) Mars. 

He believes humans elsewhere than Earth is the only way to preserve our species.

That makes sense.

However ... 

In X post yesterday the brilliant and wealthy pioneer, the Leonardo da Vinci of our times, noted every couple of years planetary alignment is ideal for launch to Mars.

The trip?

Six months. 

Six months! 

I sent query: "Still want to know what a human passenger is going to do for six months during journey to Mars?"

At this writing, no response from Elon. 

Nor anyone else. 

Though a friend, Marine of course, commented: Play spades 

Play spades is what we did aboard ship during six months deployments to the Mediterranean. 

Lots of spades. 

But we were not trapped in tiny space for the six months. 

We could go topside and enjoy - fresh air, spectacular skies - sun rises and sets, no moon, full moon, breathtaking star-speckled skies, and salt spray. 

We conducted amphibious training "seizing" beachheads. And trained with live ammo; train as fight. 

We enjoyed liberty, sometimes leave, in exotic and not ports of call. 

We planned, read, exercised, played pranks, partook in stimulating discourse, wrote letters home, and longed for mail call.  

There was plenty to do. 

In short, big difference between warship and starship.

I no longer for six hours trips. 

Not by plane.

Not by train. 

Not by car. 

I do not like to travel far. 

Six hours. 

Six days is 144 hours.

Six weeks is 1,008 hours.

Six months is 4,320 hours (give or take). 

Hurtling through space.

At sea if something wrong, the ship heads, usually limps, to port. 

What's space ship to do?

And, what's physical toll on human?

Psychological toll on human?

What sort of human will volunteer?

As to Newt Gringrich's opening quip ...

When we put humans on Mars it will absolutely turn out to be like us. Mars will be Earth - polluted ... with people. 

And all people problems. 

Exponentially more problems once government formed. 

There will be wars on Mars. 

And wars between Mars and Earth. 

I am not going to Mars. Nope! Nope! Nope!

Nor am I going on anymore six month deployments to the Mediterranean. Nor elsewhere. 

During a six months deployment, my Marine partner and I won the MARG (Marine Amphibious Ready Group) 3-81 spades championship - undefeated - embarked aboard USS Saipan (LHA-2). 

That was 43 years ago. I've not played since. 

That wonderful ship now retired. 

So are we. 

I doubt he's interested in journey to Mars, either. 

I close and still no response from Elon(ardo).

And likely will not get one. 

He's just a bit busy - shooting for the stars. 

I am more than a bit happy - on Earth.