Privatly funded mars colonization!

[Extraintuitive]

http://www.mars-one.com

 

Also check out their YouTube channel.

 

 

Does this get anyone else as excited as I am?

[Wuzzums]

....maybe:

 

RED FACTION!

[wdiaz03]

Why does this seem to me like a huge financial black-hole?

 

"No new major developments or inventions are needed to make the mission plan a reality. Each stage of Mars One mission plan employs existing, validated and available technology."

 

Except for a stable monetary system and a free market economy.

 

With the current unstable economy and some unpredictable climate event on mars, this will turn south quickly if people ever live there.. but I'll be surprised if they manage to even start with the first mission  but that's just me.

[Extraintuitive]

Because it is a huge financial black hole. Lol

Your money is being launched into the depths of space.

But at its worst it is a tragic fireworks display, at its best.. Its mars colonization!

[wdiaz03]

Because it is a huge financial black hole. LolYour money is being launched into the depths of space.But at its worst it is a tragic fireworks display, at its best.. Its mars colonization!

  I see no best case scenario on this one. Until I see some plans for terraforming prior to human missions this is a one way ticket to a suicide mission.

[Kevin Beal]

Sounds like a fascinating project.

 

I would hate to be one of the first people though. No internet...

[Extraintuitive]

Actually they would be able to get any media that want its just a 20 minute delay. They can order TV shows and stuff.

 

The longest stay in space in one flight has been 14 months. Mars is much more hospitable as far as gravity and less radiation. And sending another group every 2 years will be pretty cool if it works out.

[Kevin Beal]

Actually they would be able to get any media that want its just a 20 minute delay. They can order TV shows and stuff.

That's amazing to me that we can do things like that.

 

It would be interesting to watch the lives of these first groups. Living on Mars seems like it could change your perspective on things in pretty interesting ways.

 

I checked out the road map and have a little bit of the picture of the next few decades, but I'm curious if they have any material out there around what the 50-100 year or later vision is. The goal seems to be primarily colonization and to start a true colony on Mars, it would seem that you would need some kind of local market. I'd be very interested how they plan to scale up from these smaller pods / domes to a larger society.

 

Or do they plan on setting up some initial frameworks / technologies that other companies / groups would find it profitable to get on board? This is the approach SpaceX is taking and I think it's an interesting one.

 

The biggest most ambitious projects in human history are taking place all around us. Time is speeding up like crazy. It's a wonderful time to be alive.

[Josh F]

Well said, Kevin.

 

This sounds dope though.  Something in me wants to be the first, even without internet, though I'm quite certain I wouldn't qualify.  When we think about climate extremes on earth, though, would I want to spend even a month in a snow storm or in the middle of some massive sand desert?  Nope.  I feel like going to mars might be the last big mistake your ass ever makes. 

[Pepin]

My social planner tends to come out when it comes to topics of space exploration and colonization, not because it isn't cool, but because I think the money would be better spent on earth. Clearly not an argument in the least and I can completely understand why others are so excited about the prospect and would be wiling to fund it.

 

Part of my apathy to space travel is that it isn't something I'd feel like I'd do. I get really anxious and dizzy just thinking about being in a zero-g environment. I also don't really feel the importance of putting so much time into going to the moon and mars. Again, not arguments, just my preference at the moment. I somewhat assume that if this were to become big in my lifetime that my opinion would flop harder than Obamacare.

[PatrickC]

Why does this seem to me like a huge financial black-hole?

 

"No new major developments or inventions are needed to make the mission plan a reality. Each stage of Mars One mission plan employs existing, validated and available technology."

 

Except for a stable monetary system and a free market economy.

 

With the current unstable economy and some unpredictable climate event on mars, this will turn south quickly if people ever live there.. but I'll be surprised if they manage to even start with the first mission  but that's just me.

 

I'm perhaps a little less cynical, but your post makes a lot of sense for me. I think whoever I did give money to for such an operation, they would have to have a proven track record. If Branson manages to pull off Virgin Galactic, then I think he is probably the best placed person to invest in with such an idea. Whether you like him or not, he has a proven track record for attempting and being successful with new ideas. No way would I invest my money with a bunch of idelogues that have no history with large scale projects such as this.

 

However, I still think it's a cool idea, but only in the very best hands of course.

[Josh F]

Personally I am into posterity, the future I won't be here for matters to me, and space exploration is this sort of timeless project that has crossed cultures and generations and centuries, from the earliest astronomers to modern engineers, it has been an almost inevitable human project.  Like ants building a new ant hill there is something almost biologically deterministic about a mars colony. 

[wdiaz03]

I'm perhaps a little less cynical, but your post makes a lot of sense for me. I think whoever I did give money to for such an operation, they would have to have a proven track record. If Branson manages to pull off Virgin Galactic, then I think he is probably the best placed person to invest in with such an idea. Whether you like him or not, he has a proven track record for attempting and being successful with new ideas. No way would I invest my money with a bunch of idelogues that have no history with large scale projects such as this.

 

However, I still think it's a cool idea, but only in the very best hands of course.

 

I'm glad that the money is not being coerced out of the taxpayers but is rather being donated, but other than This is like building a pyramid, It offers no benefits, is not an investment. Done for some pride for the human race, if they ever send people they'll likely be human sacrifice.

[xSocrates]

  I see no best case scenario on this one. Until I see some plans for terraforming prior to human missions this is a one way ticket to a suicide mission.

 

It's a long-term investment in humanity's colonization and resource exploitation of space. If it succeeds, it will set the grounds for future Mars exploration, colonization, and one day terraformation. It's also a non-profit, so I'm not sure why someone said it's a financial black hole. If you're speaking of the dollar and euro, of course, but I'm pretty sure the entire project isn't going to be funded by bitcoins, which even then isn't the ideal currency. 

[dsayers]

Mars is much more hospitable as far as gravity and less radiation

 

But less atmosphere and no liquid water. Less atmosphere would mean less protection from radiation spikes.

 

It's a good idea in terms of saving humanity. Not as effective as rational thinking, but with psychopaths having their hand on the button and willing to utilize weapons that unravel an area's genetic makeup, colonizing another planet would be a way of assuring the survival of our species. Especially when you consider that part of the reason there isn't as much of a push for coercive space exploration is because the money's wrapped up in enslaving and destroying us here on Earth.

 

I'd be most interested in seeing how humans that lived on Mars adapted differently over a number of generations compared to their Earth counterparts.

[wdiaz03]

It's a long-term investment in humanity's colonization and resource exploitation of space. If it succeeds, it will set the grounds for future Mars exploration, colonization, and one day terraformation. It's also a non-profit, so I'm not sure why someone said it's a financial black hole. If you're speaking of the dollar and euro, of course, but I'm pretty sure the entire project isn't going to be funded by bitcoins, which even then isn't the ideal currency. 

 

I believe it was me that said it was a financial black hole.

 

Again this is just my opinion, What do I know. But I believe that one might as well burn that money. The reason. The state of the financial markets will make further investments harder to procure in the future and the project will likely be abandoned half way like a badly planned ancient Egyptian pyramid. I don't think this is the right time for society to embark on something like this. If we had a free society around the world and had nothing better to do with the money, then sure, shoot it to outer space. Don''t get me wrong, I'm not advocating for an utilitarian approach. People can do with their money as they please.

 

To me is like a 300lb guy who buys an Ab machine but changes nothing else in his lifestyle...To me he is just throwing his money away but that's my opinion, he can do with his money as he pleases.

[xSocrates]

I believe it was me that said it was a financial black hole.

 

Again this is just my opinion, What do I know. But I believe that one might as well burn that money. The reason. The state of the financial markets will make further investments harder to procure in the future and the project will likely be abandoned half way like a badly planned ancient Egyptian pyramid. I don't think this is the right time for society to embark on something like this. If we had a free society around the world and had nothing better to do with the money, then sure, shoot it to outer space. Don''t get me wrong, I'm not advocating for an utilitarian approach. People can do with their money as they please.

 

To me is like a 300lb guy who buys an Ab machine but changes nothing else in his lifestyle...To me he is just throwing his money away but that's my opinion, he can do with his money as he pleases.

 

Very valid point. Maybe I'm just too cynical, but I honestly don't think humanity will ever change for the better within the next 100 years, and we shouldn't wait that long. No matter what, short of an apocalypse, humanity will not wait that long. 

 

But yes, humanity and the individuals who make up it have more fundamental goals to be working on. 

[dsayers]

I honestly don't think humanity will ever change for the better within the next 100 years

 

Isn't this an anthropomorphism? Isn't it like saying that I don't think the car will turn left within the next 100 years? Like a car, our path as a race lies wherever we steer it. Just wanted to point that out since sitting back with certainty for gloom within the next 100 years sort of allows those that would steer it that way a path of lowered resistance.

[xSocrates]

Isn't this an anthropomorphism? Isn't it like saying that I don't think the car will turn left within the next 100 years? Like a car, our path as a race lies wherever we steer it. Just wanted to point that out since sitting back with certainty for gloom within the next 100 years sort of allows those that would steer it that way a path of lowered resistance.

Humanity isn't a car, it's a collective of humans. Look at its history. Things change, but the fundamental nature does not. It's a broken record and although we are getting closer and closer as I type this, it is far from redemption.

[P. Mason]

If humans did go to mars they would never be able to return even IF there was a return ship. Once they live there for a time the lighter gravity will make their bones brittle. Unless they can figure out a way to make some artificial gravity, humans would not be able to survive in earth's gravity.

[PatrickC]

If humans did go to mars they would never be able to return even IF there was a return ship. Once they live there for a time the lighter gravity will make their bones brittle. Unless they can figure out a way to make some artificial gravity, humans would not be able to survive in earth's gravity.

 

Yes, it's no suprise there are going to be problems with living in a different enviroment to earth. Particularly a weightless one. For the most part space is incredibly hostile for humans. Which makes colonising Mars or space stations an interesting challenge.Of course, if it were known that some large astroid was going to devastate earth at some point. Then colonising Mars might be our only option for survival, whilst we wait for Earth to recover from the impact.. Most people would probably accept the shortened lifespan. But agreed, this remains science fiction for now.

[Panoptic]

I feel like it is like colonizing the new world. Its going to require risks but in the end it needs to be done. The planets in this solar system all have massive amounts of valuable resources, and we need these to expand our race. I understand people saying this isn't practical, because it really isn't in the short run. I believe that the attitude needs to be there. Of course we should be skeptical but we shouldn't just throw it out all together.

 

Mars One itself may be a bit ridiculous (even though it is made up by world renowned scientists), but colonizing other planets is necessary if we are going to advance our race.

 

I for one dream of a time where an average human being can easily travel between planets. A guy lives on Mars, goes to his local space port, and heads to Titan. A lot of those moons around Saturn likely have underground oceans of liquid water that span the entire planet. Saturn and Jupiter have massive amounts of Helium 3 that can be used for nuclear fusion. A typical class-m asteroid is a few miles across and has something like 3 times more precious metals that humanity has EVER mined. The benefits are absolutely enormous. 

 

Anyway, a lot of people just say its science fiction for now and it won't happen before we all die. Well maybe that's true, but personally its something that fuels my imagination and I support anybody trying to do it. I'm going to stick with the hopeful side of the human race. Besides, there must be SOMEBODY that tries these new things out or else we will never get new data for it.

[J-William]

Why does this seem to me like a huge financial black-hole?

 

"No new major developments or inventions are needed to make the mission plan a reality. Each stage of Mars One mission plan employs existing, validated and available technology."

 

Except for a stable monetary system and a free market economy.

 

With the current unstable economy and some unpredictable climate event on mars, this will turn south quickly if people ever live there.. but I'll be surprised if they manage to even start with the first mission  but that's just me.

Not to mention the huge amounts of regulation and bureaucracy involved in every step of the process... and there will be plenty more regulations between now and whenever they could possibly launch a rocket to mars.

 

But anyhow.... I guess if they get a few billionaires that need a new hobby, or a couple of billion people who say "Eh, that'd be cool. I'll contribute five bucks." Then maybe they'll have some prayer of making it.

[Tk101]

So far, they haven't ran into any major issues. They have gotten the attention of Lockhead Martin. They wish to have them construct their rovers.