Going Back To Earth

The $500,000 ticket to a Mars colony envisaged by Elon Musk is one-way.That is how the economics will work at first. But will individual colonists be committed to Mars for good? Most unlikely, for those whose residual wealth on Earth can meet the cost. We are talking about a commercial project after all. If you have the money you will eventually be able to get back. Although a man-rated return capacity may not be provided in the very early years of the colony, because of the heavy costs of developing the Mars launch mechanism and supplying the necessary fuel, it will not be many years before that capacity does become available. The ticket cost will probably be much higher than the payment for the outward trip, because that will have been set with the intention of encouraging potential colonists to come forward,: and because each colonist will represent an investment in manpower for the development of the settlement.

Returning some colonists will ultimately benefit the colony anyway. The last thing that will be wanted on Mars will be gradually growing numbers of the disaffected and the discouraged. There will  be some malcontents on Mars, and there will be those who simply find it too difficult to adapt to the environment. Will this put the whole process of colonisation at risk? Might such a large proportion wish to return that the viability of the settlement itself could be challenged? I doubt that myself. We will be sending some pretty rugged and determined types to the red planet. By and large just not the sort to be easily discouraged and still less the kind who will be willing in any way to admit defeat. Adversity always weeds out the least fitted to an environment. In previous waves of human settlement, that has sadly in general meant the death of those who could not meet the grade. In the case of Mars, we can hopefully get the less determined and suited back to Earth instead.