I’ve always wanted to be an astronaut ever since I was in first grade. I’ve always wanted to have the same view of the Earth as seen by the Apollo 17 crew traveling toward the moon.

Yet, in the debate held at the Durham Union Society on Friday the 13th February 2015 I spoke against the motion “This House (as a student) would go to Mars.”

I belive that there are more aspects to be carefully thought through before ‘we’ make this step and send human beings on a one way trip to the red planet. My major concerns were not only related to unpredictable risks (technological, psychological, medical ..) but mainly to the commercial nature of Mars One enterprise.

Any thoughts …?

P.S.: Also, I think there is a thin red line between space exploration and space exploitation.