Destination Unknown: The Reality Check on Humanity's Multi-Planetary Future
Welcome to our MindSet 2026 Survey!
Organized by the Life Science Zurich Young Scientist Network (LSZYSN), MindSet is an annual interactive panel discussion on pressing scientific topics.
Your anonymous answers will directly create our live presentation slides! We will display these results on stage to test our four mystery experts—spanning human spaceflight, exoplanet astrophysics, space instrumentation, and international space law—before opening the floor to the audience!
Estimated completion time: 3–4 minutes.
1. What is your primary background?
Life Sciences / Biotechnology / Medicine
Physics / Astrophysics / Earth & Environmental Sciences
Engineering / Robotics / Computer Science
Law / Economics / Public Policy / Humanities
Other
2. When aerospace leaders claim that establishing permanent colonies on Mars or the Moon is an urgent priority, what is your gut reaction?
An inspiring and necessary insurance policy for humanity's survival
Dangerous escapism: there is no "Planet B," and we must fix Earth first
An unregulated commercial land grab driven by private capital
Another overambitious project with little chance of success
Unsure
3. Human bodies evolved for Earth's gravity and magnetosphere. Can humans realistically reproduce and raise families under weak gravity (Mars 0.38g, Moon 0.16g) and deep-space radiation?
Yes: Shielded habitats and advanced medicine will protect us.
Biological hard limit: Human bodies cannot adapt long-term without genetic editing.
Explorers only: Viable for rotating astronaut missions, but never for civilian families.
Unsure
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4. Commercial rocket launches have made access to orbit cheaper, but thousands of private satellites now crowd the night sky. Overall, is the commercial space boom helping or hurting fundamental science?
Mostly helping: Cheaper launches make scientific space missions easier.
Mostly hurting: Satellite trails ruin telescope observations, and profit eclipses research.
An equal mix of both
Unsure
5. Under international treaties, no country can claim territory in space, but private property remains an unregulated legal void. If a private company mines water ice or rare metals from an asteroid or the Moon, who owns those resources?
The company that dug them up ("finders, keepers")
All humanity (profits must be shared globally)
The country that licensed the company
Commercial mining in space should be completely illegal
6. Some nations permit space mining, while others (like Switzerland) take a strict approach focused on sustainability and liability. How should global space law proceed?
Pro-enterprise: Keep rules light and flexible to attract private investment and tech.
Strictly precautionary: Freeze space mining until the UN signs a binding global treaty.
National competition: Let each country write its own commercial laws.
7. "Spending billions on deep space exploration is irresponsible while Earth faces severe climate, biodiversity, and humanitarian crises."
Strongly disagree (Space tech produces the exact recycling, energy, and medical tools needed on Earth)
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly agree (Protecting Earth must come first; space cannot make up for a ruined planet)
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8. If public budgets are limited, which of these is the most unjustifiable drain of resources that should be redirected toward sustainability or scientific exploration?
Military and defense spending (war budgets dwarfing scientific research)
Subsidies for fossil fuels
Private commercial vanity projects (like suborbital space tourism)
Space exploration itself (these budgets should go straight to climate action on Earth)
9. If offered an irreversible, one-way ticket to live in an underground research base on Mars—eating recycled food, enduring communication delays, and never returning to Earth—would you go?
Yes, sign me up!
Yes, but only in the later stages of my life
No, Earth is the only home I want.
Only if my family or partner could come along
10. What is the single most ridiculous, absurd, or wasteful thing humanity spends money on today that should be redirected to saving Earth or exploring space? - (Short text: Max 100 characters)
11. In 10 words or fewer, what is the #1 reality check or question you want to put to our mystery panel? - (Short text: Max 100 characters — the sharpest submissions will appear live on screen during the debate!)
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