John Wyndham once wrote a science fiction novel called 'The Outward Urge' about a family tradition of space exploration. But the tradition of going out there to pit your wits and your strength against a hostile environment long pre-dates space travel. Whether it be Hillary and Tenzing on Everest, Amundsen and Scott racing for the south pole, Speke and Burton seeking the source of the Nile. Lewis and Clark crossing a continent, Burke and Wills in the dead heart of Australia, Magellan circumnavigating the globe, Columbus reaching the Americas, or Leif Ericsson doing the same long before him: all are pinnacles of human achievement. What do they have in common? Sheer grit and determination. Perseverance and a willingness to court danger and suffer extreme hardship in the steady pursuit of a goal. These are the qualities that will be essential on Mars. Not just technical expertise and the right skills but the spirit that rises above all qualification and suitability.
When Neil Armstrong was approaching the Moon's surface, with just seconds of fuel left, he found himself approaching a boulder field too hazardous to attempt to land on. He kept the Eagle hovering and seeking a safe spot to put down. Despite the lack of fuel, he held his nerve and brought off that momentous landing. When Tom Wolfe wrote his book about America's Mercury astronauts, he called it 'The Right Stuff'. That is what we will need on Mars. The Right Stuff.
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