I think the key problem from a planning point of view is that you commit yourself to some sort of support to that particular location on Mars for as long as the astronauts (and possibly their descendants, if we get really optimistic here) are alive. I know a bunch of people think that's a feature not a bug, but for an early mission, where you really don't have experience with living on Mars, it's a considerable open-ended obligation. And suppose it turns out to be a relatively uninteresting or arduous part of Mars? My view is that one-way trips should only start when some sort of settlement has already been established and most of the problems of living on Mars have been worked out.
how much infrastructure and physical investment will be required before human can form permanent settlement on Mars? Remember Mars is very hostile environment to human and any higher organisms, and the great distance between Mars and Earth means that resupply from Earth can only be delivered every 2 years.
Geezers and babes.... now there's an idea...
Huh?
i think after a few years we'd find that they all killed each other and the moon base is haunted. This scenario would likely increase in chance and speed up on Mars, since you can't see the earth or moon at all.