Not quite, we're still looking to see if there's microbial life underground, furthermore it's seeing if there ever was life, but that can also be done by people living on Mars.

This is not a trip I would want to go on. I mean, what could go wrong? If they were months along after launch, and they had an explosion on the spacecraft like they did with Apollo 13, that turned it into a crippled spacecraft, what do you do? You just can't do a free return trip like they did on Apollo 13, way to far out there for that!

Back-ups. :yep: The Apollo capsules were very early space technology after all. It would be best really to make a bigger ship than the Dragon-X system, but since money is an issue here, I guess they'll just have to hope it doesn't go wrong. After all, plenty of people got lost at sea whilst exploring back in the day.
Another thing that can be done is to send unmanned craft and robots to Mars to get things ready for the settlers when they arrive. In theory they could have a few pre-fab buildings ready to go when they arrive.

I'd have to agree with this statement

There are parts of our own planet that a newly landed alien probe could search for months or even years without finding any significant sign of life. Washington DC for example.

There may be microbes or some other more sophisticated life form just over the next dune

that said, there should be some sort of protocol. Personally i think if microbial life forms are the only organisms found to occupy mars, well... that's unfortunate for them. Colonize away.

but where is the line drawn

what im excited about is the proposed Europa mission! Imagine if they send that submersible probe to Europa and dive it down and hit the lights on a volcanic vent and find some sort of alien shrimp like critters swimming around - that would be amazing

I think it would have to be a big ship, with that many people on board, the food alone they would need just for the journey to Mars, would be huge, even if its freeze dried. Look at how much they have to take to the space station on a resupply mission, its measured in tons. And that's for anywhere from 4 to 8 astronauts.

the manned mission is preceded by a few unmanned missions - i believe part of the unmanned mission is the dropping off of a couple of habitation type "pods" to sort of serve as an immediate shelter.

Im imagining something that would touch down on an air bag or parachute down, deploy solar panels, anchor itself into the ground and begin storing solar energy into a battery pack or something.

Once the crew arrived all they would have to do is walk up to one of the pods, open a panel, mash a button and the whole pressurizing and oxygenation of the interior of the pod would be automated, occurring within a reasonable amount of time (20 minutes?) at which point the pod could be entered and capable of supporting human life.

There would of course be other purpose build pods dropped, containing tools, food, and water and the like

the mission has a published "timeline"

out of the "final 100" they will be sending a crew of only 4

some time later they will be joined by a crew of 4 more

the first milestone population is 20

it is entirely possible that not even half of the "final 100" will go

The needs of the sentients outweigh the needs of the germs. :O:

This is the proposed timeline

2018 Unmanned Lander Mission
The first lander will touch down carrying approximately 100 lbs of misc equipment.

2020 Unmanned Lander Mission
The second mission will touch down a rover responsible for selecting the most suitable permanent colonization site and establishing in orbit a communications array

2022 Unmanned Cargo Mission
The third mission will launch 2 "life support units" and 2 "supply units" to the colony site

2024 Mars One Launches Crew One
Mars One launches for Mars carrying the four astronauts of "Crew One" and misc equipment, some months later the cargo mission for "Crew Two" is launched

2025 Crew One Lands
Following the journey through space, Mars One Capsule lands containing a "Crew One"

2026 Mars One Launches Crew Two
Mars One launches for Mars carrying the four astronauts of "Crew Two" and misc equipment, some months later the cargo mission for "Crew Three" is launched

2027 Crew Two Lands
Crew Two lands, Crew one greets them and has already prepared the living quarters for 8, expansion will begin preparing for living quarters for up to 12

this process is expected to continue to a milestone of 20 mars inhabitants is reached

I think that would be one of the great unknown factors, the continuing mental and emotional welfare of those who go. You could test these people forever and still not know how they would stand up over the long haul. What happens if one or more of these people breakdown up there? Would their situation jeopardize the safety of others? Or of the equipment? It would be interesting to know what kind of contingency plan would be in place for this possibility.

That's what the Martians said and look what happened to them! :O:

http://www.geofftaylor-artist.com/sy...adlondon71.jpg

I think this constitutes as an irony to my words :doh:

The colonists will face the same problem though.

As long as they learn to run when the scary music plays they should be OK.
:D

Oh, and if they kill someone that goes crazy? Make sure he's dead!

Yea and if someone complains about chest pains, well........:O:

2 of every 4 crew members will be extensively trained in critical health care according to the site. I mean... they have T minus 10 years to learn this stuff before launch