# "Fly me to the moon" would you go? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2017, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009 "2017-02-28T03:53:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/1 "2017-02-28T03:53:26Z")
The good people at SpaceX have declared [a goal](http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2017/02/27/SpaceX-says-it-will-fly-civilians-to-the-moon-next-year/6381488232815/) to land two private citizens on the moon next year. If money wasn’t a factor would you be willing to go up on their maiden voyage? What about one soon after? Ever? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/2 "2017-02-28T03:56:15Z")
Maybe after a few dozen problem-free flights I would. No way will I be an early adopter. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/3 "2017-02-28T04:08:15Z")
This says it’s _around_ the moon: > **[SpaceX to fly two space tourists around the moon in 2018](https://money.cnn.com/2017/02/27/technology/spacex-moon-tourism/index.html)** > > Two tourists will travel around the moon in 2018. So something similar to Apollo 8, which was a monumental achievement in its own right: > **[Apollo 8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_8)** > > Apollo 8 (December 21–27, 1968) was the first crewed spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit and the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon. The crew orbited the Moon ten times without landing, and then departed safely back to Earth. These three astronauts—Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders—were the first humans to witness and photograph the far side of the Moon and an Earthrise. > Apollo 8 launched on December 21, 1968, and was the second crewed spaceflight mission flown in the Uni... My answer: hell no. Nothing of this sort has been attempted since 1972, the year of the final moon landing to date. Any of the Apollo missions were extremely dangerous, and that was NASA using at least somewhat proven technology. Space X’s technology is new, and no testing other than the mission itself can prove that it’s ready. I think it’s inappropriate and irresponsible to invite tourists on this type of mission at this stage. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/4 "2017-02-28T06:25:19Z")
Heck yes. Sign me up. I don’t have any dependents who would be left without support, so that isn’t an issue for me. I’ve been a space buff since I was a kid, dreaming of being an astronaut. It would be the crowning adventure of my life. Aeschines, why is this irresponsible? As long as all parties involved know the dangers, why should I be allowed to decide if I want to take the risks if I’m making an informed decision? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/5 "2017-02-28T07:17:34Z")
Not to underplay the risk, but SpaceX’s Dragon capsule program has been running for several years now with no significant failures (aside from the CRS-7 failure, which was due to the rocket and not the capsule). They have a huge amount of experience in automated capsule control–far more than NASA did back in the Apollo days. The crewed Dragon 2 capsule is new, but is still a derivative of the Dragon. The control systems, heat shield, and so on are mostly the same and well tested at this point. SpaceX has shown that they can remotely recover from mild failures (such as sticky valves). SpaceX will also be sending up the Dragon 2 in automated mode at least once before any crewed flights, and carry NASA astronauts at least once before any private flights. It will likely fly several times before any private mission. Again, I don’t want to underplay the risks, but this is not totally unproven technology. SpaceX has already demonstrated many of the basic components, and will have demonstrated almost all of of them before any private flight. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/6 "2017-02-28T07:34:19Z")
I’d love to go to space, but I don’t see any great appeal to travelling around the moon. Earth orbit is supposed to be amazing; the storms, the sunrises and sunsets, the familiar landforms from such an unfamilar viewpoint. Landing on the moon would be extraordinary. But just getting a closer look at the moon wouldn’t be my first choice of mission. > [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > Aeschines, why is this irresponsible? As long as all parties involved know the dangers, why should I be allowed to decide if I want to take the risks if I’m making an informed decision? At this point, I’m not sure anyone knows what the risks are. Few space vehicles are more than glorified prototypes. A lot of smart people work on this sort of thing (they don’t call them rocket scientists for nothing), but the first, or the second, or the tenth flight is still experimental. The Space Shuttle flew 135 missions. If there had been a 136th, I’m not sure anyone could tell you the exact risk of not making it back. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/7 "2017-02-28T10:02:30Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > Space X’s technology is new, and no testing other than the mission itself can prove that it’s ready. The entire mission could be done N times before they put humans on board. What value of N would satisfy you? (I’m not saying that’s what they’ll do.) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/8 "2017-02-28T10:26:21Z")
If they’d have me, I’d go. Immediately. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/9 "2017-02-28T10:29:42Z")
Given how minimal SpaceX’s experience with **manned** missions has been, I’d say talk is cheap. They have yet to demonstrate the ability to keep someone alive for a few hours in low Earth orbit. You’d have to be nuts to trust them for a week in deep space. Keeping humans alive in space is a much, _much_ more complicated and risky proposition than sending unmanned payloads to a space station. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/10 "2017-02-28T12:18:42Z")
Hell yes. I’d love to see it. and on the flip side, I have no dependents so if the mission goes pear-shaped, the end will be mercifully short. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/11 "2017-02-28T12:35:46Z")
If I had the money, I’d go. I wouldn’t want to be the first – I’d wait until there was a good record of safety. But I’d love to go to the moon, even for a flyby. It’d be incredible. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/12 "2017-02-28T14:13:40Z")
The longest nonstop flights I’ve done have been Toronto to Vancouver and Sacramento to Pittsburgh. I hated the trips. At least those flights had a functional lavatory. No thanks; I’m not pissing and shitting in a spacesuit (and paying for the experience). ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/13 "2017-02-28T14:19:08Z")
Wow, private enterprise will manage to do something that government did fifty years ago. Color me unimpressed. No way in hell would I put my life in the hands of an unproven system. Even “proven” systems are inherently extremely dangerous, as the loss of two shuttles demonstrates. Space tourism is just a tragedy waiting to happen and should not be allowed. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/14 "2017-02-28T14:19:49Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > The good people at SpaceX have declared [a goal](http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2017/02/27/SpaceX-says-it-will-fly-civilians-to-the-moon-next-year/6381488232815/) to land two private citizens on the moon next year. If money wasn’t a factor would you be willing to go up on their maiden voyage? What about one soon after? Ever? I would absolutely love to. However, I am prone to motion sickness, so I would probably spend the entire trip trying to puke up my kneecaps and wishing I could die, or I would be wasted on Dramamine et al. and sleep through most of it. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/15 "2017-02-28T14:22:40Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > If they’d have me, I’d go. Immediately. Same. Would sell everything I own. A life changing experience. I’ll go first. Risk/reward looks good to me. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/16 "2017-02-28T14:28:04Z")
I’ll wait until I can actually step onto the moon. Unfortunately, like **Clothahump** (welcome back, and _Illegitimi Non Carborundum_) I would never survive the free fall flight there and back. Maybe when they have a space elevator. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/17 "2017-02-28T14:28:06Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Wow, private enterprise will manage to do something that government did fifty years ago. Color me unimpressed. No way in hell would I put my life in the hands of an unproven system. Even “proven” systems are inherently extremely dangerous, as the loss of two shuttles demonstrates. Space tourism is just a tragedy waiting to happen and **should not be allowed**. Bolding mine. Why? If I and others that have posted so far as willing to go are willing to take the risk, why should anyone get to decide that we can’t decide the risk/reward question for ourselves? Who should stop us? I’ll sign a disclaimer right now and be on the first flight. I don’t understand who or why someone should not allow that to happen. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/18 "2017-02-28T14:38:18Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I would absolutely love to. However, I am prone to motion sickness, so I would probably spend the entire trip trying to puke up my kneecaps and wishing I could die, or I would be wasted on Dramamine et al. and sleep through most of it. I did a half day Caribbean fishing excursion with my gf and two strangers. One guy began vomiting as we left the dock and was never able to leave the head for more than a few minutes. It was a wonderful half day, other than the background noise of puking. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/19 "2017-02-28T14:50:28Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Bolding mine. > > Why? If I and others that have posted so far as willing to go are willing to take the risk, why should anyone get to decide that we can’t decide the risk/reward question for ourselves? Who should stop us? I’ll sign a disclaimer right now and be on the first flight. I don’t understand who or why someone should not allow that to happen. For the same reason why we put rails on the Grand Canyon observation points. Or don’t let you make cars without air bags. When you take unnecessary risks with your own life, you’re gambling with all of our lives. That guy who feels the need to ride a motorcycle without a helmet- all of us pay for his injuries and the demands they place on the health care system. All of us will share the cost of raising children orphaned by the inevitable space mission that ends in tragedy. We don’t exist in isolation from each other, any senseless death hurts all of us. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009/20 "2017-02-28T14:53:27Z")
I’d have my bags packed and ready to go in a heartbeat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon-would-you-go/781009.md?page=2)