Assuming that you won some contest where your Grand Prize was a Free Trip to the Moon as a Space Tourist (A trip that was worth over $20 Million Dollars), would you actually want to go? I mean think about it, the space module will be cramped as hell, its dark and cold up there, and you are always facing the danger of something going wrong where you might not make it back! Would you go...or sell your $20 Million Dollar seat to someone else?
If there was an option to sell the seat, I would sell it. I could have a lifetime of adventures here on earth for 20 million, ya know?
In human history, only twelve men have ever been on the moon: Neil Armstrong - Apollo 11 - July, 1969 Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin - Apollo 11 - July, 1969 Charles "Pete" Conrad - Apollo 12 - November, 1969 (may have been scheduled to land again on Apollo 20, though unlikely as he had already walked on the Moon) Alan Bean - Apollo 12 - November, 1969 Alan Shepard - Apollo 14 - February, 1971 Edgar Mitchell - Apollo 14 - February, 1971 David Scott - Apollo 15 - July, 1971 James Irwin - Apollo 15 - July, 1971 John Young - Apollo 16 - April, 1972 (also on Apollo 10, without landing) Charles Duke - Apollo 16 - April, 1972 Eugene Cernan - Apollo 17 - December, 1972 (also on Apollo 10, without landing) Harrison Schmitt - Apollo 17 - December, 1972 To join these esteemed ranks, I'd do just about anything.
Fuck yeah I'd go. There is no amount of money anyone could offer short of $10 billion dollars (net after all taxes have been accounted for) that would make me not go.
At the age I am today, I would have to say no (I would sell the seat and take the money instead). If this were asked of me about 10 or 15 years ago, the answer I'm sure would be quite different!
A scenario Ive talked to my dad, late at night after a drink or two, a few times is the 'Close Encounters, would you?' question. I'm not so sure I would, yet.... need a few more years enjoying Earth and its people first. But give me 5 years... maybe
In a heartbeat. I'd hope I would survive the trip so that afterwards I can continue to be here for my kids (and be able to recount the trip to my grandkids someday) but other than that one concern I'd say "without hesitation"... And if I had no kids - I'd even risk my life to do so if the odds were extremely slim that I'd survive the trip.
I'd take the money. Chances are, if the demand is high enough, we'll eventually be able to travel to the moon via commercial means. Most likely, for less than $20 million. That'd be a hell of a lot of hookers and blow I'd be giving up just for a trip to a barren crater-filled surface. I could just visit Detroit for that.
Interesting scenario. To win a trip like this I have to assume that moon travel is a commercial reality, and that the price offered to buy the prize off me is the market price for such a trip. Given I am only mid 20's then it is fair to assume that in the next couple of decades I could still be healthy enough to take the trip, and it would also be cheaper. So sell the flight now, and use the money to better our life, along with sticking most of it in long term investments. In 10-15 years buy another trip to the moon with that money. In a situation where it isn't possible to sell the trip I would take it in a heartbeat.
I would definitely go, I'm sure it wouldn't be as bad as walking around in Bangalore slums and I've done that. I think the view would be worth 20 million alone and if I could actually walk around on the Moon? Hells yes. The experience itself would be priceless. As to the money, I'm pretty sure the lecture circuit and the book I'd write would set me up for a few years and get me to some pretty interesting places here on Earth when I got back; and if for some reason I couldn't take the stress they could bury me up there.
