I did think they had been there for a while. Everyone seemed well adjusted when the topic started. On a first day, I would have expected them to be very much out of it and would have reacted negatively to their first change... But that's nitpicking. 

Sending it off to space and suddenly being rebellious when participants volunteered for it was kind of ridiculous. Not to mention confusing for other players. It also is taking control away from the original poster, who's idea we all signed up to follow, right?