Would I Go to Mars?

If I had the opportunity to go to Mars, I would decline for many reasons, although I would be very supportive of the mission. First off, the Earth is full of amazing wonders that I would like to see many of in my lifetime. Going to Mars would take years of my life that I could use to travel the Earth. It would be very hard for me to leave behind my family and friends at home, as I like being around others I know. I also have anxiety, so the isolation of a trip to Mars would probably make me scared and would trigger panic attacks. Panic attacks that I would have on the trip to Mars could also psychologically disrupt other members of the crew, and this could lead to negative mistakes.

The negative side-affects of space travel on health would also make me decline the opportunity to go to Mars. Being in an environment with less G's than Earth or 0 G's wears down the human body that is used to one-G. The article “Meet the Twins Unlocking the Secrets of Space” by Jeffrey Kluger states these negative affects of space on health: “Bones get brittle, eyeballs lose their shape, hearts beat less efficiently since they no longer have to pump against gravity, and balance goes awry.” I want to live a long, healthy life, and these degrading effects space travel has on the body worry me. Also the risk of a fatal accident caused by a failure in technology or space debris is a risk I do not want to take. My ambitions to travel the Earth, my anxiety, and my concern for my health deter me from wanting to travel to Mars.