It's difficult to know whether to be excited or horrified. Part of me just forsees them dying a slow, painful death. I don't think current technology is advanced enough for something as ambitious as this. it feels a bit like trying to run before we can walk. And why mars anyway? I don't really see how it is any better a prospect for colonisation than the moon, which is so much closer. Did they forget about the moon? I do admit though, it would be a little more interesting than big brother
...especially since it'll cost billions and billions (in any currency) to get there. It'll also be not so much as a one way settlement ticket as a one way suicide ticket.
Although there are plenty of geological similarities, Mars is like the Antarctic dry valleys but with a thin, poisonous atmosphere to deal with as well. Life support systems would have to be highly reliable and function perfectly to allow humans to survive and minor mishaps could end up turning into fatalities.
The only way such a mission will succeed is if there's international cooperation between governments and if billions are spent during the mission development phase to ensure that the project is likely to be successful. Interestingly, the University of Washington has been working on a fusion rocket which could dramatically cut the journey time to Mars and back:
University of Washington researchers and scientists at a Redmond-based space-propulsion company are building components of a fusion-powered rocket aimed to clear many of the hurdles that block deep space travel, including long times in transit, exorbitant costs and health risks....Now, the team is working to bring it all together by using the technology to compress the plasma and create nuclear fusion. Slough hopes to have everything ready for a first test at the end of the summer. http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/04/04/rocket-powered-by-nuclear-fusion-could-send-humans-to-mars/
I can't understand why anyone would want to do this, sounds like hell to me
For the same reason people climbed mountains, went to sea went to the bottom of the sea...to stretch human endeavour, the realisation that colonising other planets may be required in the future...and because we can.
The one-way ticket doesn;t mean a wasted life...you just live your life out on another planet and there are plenty of people who would do that just like explorers of old...places we can get to in half a day by plane were remote places hundreds of years ago and for many one way trips and I am sure people were saying just what you are!
The Dutch-based Mars One venture says it's winnowed down its list of applicants to 50 men and 50 women who will compete for the chance to take a one-way trip to Mars. Yes, that's the reward — not the punishment. The Mars One project plans to put on a reality-TV competition to select 24 prospective crew members for missions to Mars, starting as early as 2024. Winners would be expected to start up a permanent colony on the Red Planet.
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Makes it borderline whether I'll live to see it, then. Hope I do.
Where's people spirit of adventure?
...especially since it'll cost billions and billions (in any currency) to get there. It'll also be not so much as a one way settlement ticket as a one way suicide ticket.
Although there are plenty of geological similarities, Mars is like the Antarctic dry valleys but with a thin, poisonous atmosphere to deal with as well. Life support systems would have to be highly reliable and function perfectly to allow humans to survive and minor mishaps could end up turning into fatalities.
The only way such a mission will succeed is if there's international cooperation between governments and if billions are spent during the mission development phase to ensure that the project is likely to be successful. Interestingly, the University of Washington has been working on a fusion rocket which could dramatically cut the journey time to Mars and back:
University of Washington researchers and scientists at a Redmond-based space-propulsion company are building components of a fusion-powered rocket aimed to clear many of the hurdles that block deep space travel, including long times in transit, exorbitant costs and health risks....Now, the team is working to bring it all together by using the technology to compress the plasma and create nuclear fusion. Slough hopes to have everything ready for a first test at the end of the summer.
http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/04/04/rocket-powered-by-nuclear-fusion-could-send-humans-to-mars/
Nope!
For the same reason people climbed mountains, went to sea went to the bottom of the sea...to stretch human endeavour, the realisation that colonising other planets may be required in the future...and because we can.
The one-way ticket doesn;t mean a wasted life...you just live your life out on another planet and there are plenty of people who would do that just like explorers of old...places we can get to in half a day by plane were remote places hundreds of years ago and for many one way trips and I am sure people were saying just what you are!
"The whole project will be televised, from the reality TV style selection process, to landing and beyond. "
I'd rather eat my own feet, than appear on 'reality TV'
I'm only too happy to go so long as a Martian villa is ready for me to inhabit: http://mateengreenway.com/steampunk/MarsVilla.jpg
Seriously, it's like Antarctica with a very thin and toxic atmosphere - do you really want to go?