Today is a day for short updates, rather than deep essays. Update number 1: if you're interested in going to Mars, check out this podcast from Popular Mechanics in which I discuss the challenges astronauts would face living and working on Mars. The magazine will be running a series of articles on the future space travel, including one by me on the Red Planet. (NB: contrary to how PM introduces me, I am not officially "New York Times astrobiology reporter." The Times just lets me write about life elsewhere when a cool story arises.)
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For whatever little it might be worth, I saw the new sci-fi movie "Sunshine" last Friday, and while it contains more than enough stuff and nonsense, some of the scenes on the spaceship were actually very interesting. I would recommend it to persons interested in space travel--especially the psychology of space travel. How they got their gravity, I don't know, and the third act is painfully out of place, but the notion of what might happen to a crew of eight over a long journey is explored decently.
I am pretty skeptical about the journey to Mars. It would take astronauts 6 months to get there then remain on the red planet for one year then return to Earth. What's the odd of returning home safe? The excursion can also be exciting. I look forward reading the articles.