• Question: Ok, the prize is now a trip of a lifetime... to Mars, why should YOU be chosen?

    Asked by stevebuck to Adam, Catherine, Karen, Leila, Nazim on 14 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Adam Stevens

      Adam Stevens answered on 12 Mar 2012:

      I like this question! 😀

      I think I should go because I have lots of experience of different fields, something will be necessary for scientists travelling to Mars. They will have to do a bit of everything because there will be so few of them. I am very practical and have built various things over the years, but also have some engineering knowledge.

      Plus I’m very good at exploring and don’t mind living with a small group of people. I have experience of exploring strange places from scuba diving, which is very much like exploring a planet in a space suit.

      Plus I am so telegenic that I can do nice pieces for camera to send back to Earth!

    • Photo: Leila Battison

      Leila Battison answered on 12 Mar 2012:

      Great question! I wish you were really offering this as a prize!

      I think I should go because I have lots of experience in looking at rocks as a geologist, and I have been working on ways to recognise living things, or fossils of living things, in rocks on Earth. Going to Mars would be the only way to prove for sure that fossils or living bacteria were there because people are much better at spotting things and doing experiments, than machines will ever be. I could be one of the best people to do this, because my work is specifically designed to recognise these long dead creatures, given a piece of rock!

      I’m also a really easy going person, with a little bit of knowledge about a lot of things, so I could keep my crewmates entertained with fun facts all the way there and back, and could be responsible for the plants that will keep us alive on the journey.

    • Photo: Catherine Rix

      Catherine Rix answered on 12 Mar 2012:

      I know it’s a bit wimpy but I’d rather stay on Earth and watch, I’m a bit claustrophobic and don’t fancy being stuck in a small space ship for a long time (a return mission to Mars would take over two years)

    • Photo: Karen Masters

      Karen Masters answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      Right now in my life a trip to Mars wouldn’t work for me. I have small children and I want to stay here and watch them grow.

      I can be a scientist and do that, but an astronaut going to Mars would miss a lot in terms of normal life.

      So send Adam or Leila – they seem pretty keen.

    • Photo: Nazim Bharmal

      Nazim Bharmal answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      Erm, I’m with Catherine on this one. For a start, there are SO many things to do on Earth that I’ll leave going to Mars to those who are really keen. My speciality wouldn’t be so useful on Mars right now, you need a geologist and a biologist …

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