If we find 'CROATOAN" carved into a mars rock, we should be scared- very scared...

with our tech we will know what happens to the settlers...- Roanoke relied on ships seperated by years... I do agree a one way trip will never happen- its bad PR... both sides of the political spectrum would shun such a plan.... the volunteers might be eager to do it, but no politician would be brave enough to be associated with it...

Too bad for the native americans that we waited so long before getting so wimpy when it came to risky exploration...

With our current attitude, westward expansion would have halted with the first wagon train disaster.... The Donner party alone would require 10 years of congressional review.... and the rules from the committee would be "you can go west, but mountains are off limits"

we need to convince the people of the fact that the wealth in space dwarfs the wealth that people have been willing to die for here.

Read "Mining the sky" by Lewis.... it is an excellent review of the profit to be found out there....