>Human psychology is another, perhaps even bigger problem, also independent of destination. We've had various experiments with prolonged isolation, but none where the subjects know that they're never coming back to Earth.
Who said they're never coming back to Earth?
>no perfectly rational, mentally healthy human would volunteer for such a mission
That's an easy problem to solve, as there are no "perfectly rational" and/or absolutely "mentally healthy humans", and have never been anyway.
And people can still be quite rational and mentally healthy and yet cherish the possibility to take such a mission, even if there's a possibility to die, etc.
In fact, it's needs no more troubled people than those that go to the army and are OK to be sent to war, or people that dive and explore the oceans, etc etc.
Who said they're never coming back to Earth?
>no perfectly rational, mentally healthy human would volunteer for such a mission
That's an easy problem to solve, as there are no "perfectly rational" and/or absolutely "mentally healthy humans", and have never been anyway.
And people can still be quite rational and mentally healthy and yet cherish the possibility to take such a mission, even if there's a possibility to die, etc.
In fact, it's needs no more troubled people than those that go to the army and are OK to be sent to war, or people that dive and explore the oceans, etc etc.