How about neither test pilots nor scientists? Tourists and settlers -- that's more like it.

And please spare me the poets and artists crap.

But without poets and artists, who will tell us how we should *feeeel* about Mars?

Seriously, though, I think sending "humanities professionals" (for lack of a better generic term) may have some merit, if for no other reason than that the good ones can inspire support for the effort and encourage others to follow. Of course, I think teaching someone in another field who has a little artistic aptitude to more colorfully and aesthetically convey their experiences is easier than the converse (teaching an artist to be an engineer or biologist or what have you), so there's no reason the settlers (or tourists) couldn't also be poets and artists.

No, I agree that those we eventually choose to send will have to assume multiple roles, and that some of those roles may be artistic. My comment was intended as a humorous "pre-emptive strike" against the touchy-feely crowd.