Volunteers Go To Mars, The Catch? You Never RETURN

terraforming mars is a fantasy it has no magnetosphere any atmosphere created will be blasted out to space from solar winds, but sign me up anyway.

2023 is only 10 years from now and $30 is pretty affordable, have to read the fine print though.

C. Permit their names and addresses to be published in duly authorized Martian colony listings?
Sounds a bit like an Inmate Locater, no?

Not to mention up to a 23 minute delay we would experience connecting to ATS on Earth and potentially even longer to hear from Venus.

Probably trapping slave labor for future Jupiter and Saturn colonies.

Originally posted by HumanitiesLastHope
All i will say is, Why not send people to colonize the moon first? Its closer, more convient, safer, more logical, and would be a great place to test off world living and making a base or supply station on the moon would cut back time and make future voyages to other planets or parts of space easier...

hmmm i wonder why ohh yeah becuase theres "aliens" or something on the moon that told them don't come back to our turf

or its all bogus..Think about it people, why don't they send modern rovers,crews etc etc to the moon or dark side of the moon in modern time, yet they have glorious pictures, and missions of mars and everywhere else
LOLZ the deception is strong with this one.

Quote "All i will say is, Why not send people to colonize the moon first? Its closer, more convient, safer, more logical, and would be a great place to test off world living and making a base or supply station on the moon would cut back time and make future voyages to other planets or parts of space easier..."

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I believe thats likely the consensus of most, the Moon is closer, only days away, thus a rescue could be mounted in a time appropriate frame, and have a chance of recovering the volunteers alive.
Where I think the difference comes in is that Mars does have an atmosphere. Something like 'Terraforming' might be a possibility. I'd think terraforning might take decades however if it was even possible at all.
But what I see in relationship with your premise of going to the Moon first, is that it's a 'known' that no atmosphere exists or is likely to be able to be created for long term habitation.

Another thought comes to mind.... As the Earth declines due to pollution and world affairs, it seems the idea of traveling to other "New Worlds" might be something that those in positions of wealth or power might think of as a backup plan or destination. The expendable common man might prove to be lab rats to study, examine and be the test subjects in the evolution of making off world habitation expedient and safe long term for these 1%r's or mega wealthy.They are after all so obscenely wealthy, millions of dollars means nothing more than an afternoons enjoyment. Send the dupes first, have them sort out the particulars, and let them get the bugs out of the off world habitations. I think you follow my train of thought. Once it's a luxurious and safe environment with every safeguard in place, then the Elite could go there secure in knowing they would be in fact quite safe and comfortable. Of course only workers would come to service their needs, but not likely be allowed permanent habitation, at least until a robot labor force could be put in place to address all their needs, thus eliminating the need for the working man.
Quite simply, a permanent playground for the elite, but built at the cost and lives of the likes of you and I.

personally i would love to see the colonization of mars happen. sadly this mission is sounding more and more like a pipe dream that is bound to fail. it looks good until you think about things like a lot of people have brought up.

i think the first issue is that this in reality is a "shoestring budget" type thing, doing all possible to save money, which is why no return trip. 4 people every two years. i also don't believe it has been properly thought through for the years after they are set up (if they survive even that long). even their financial base has problems, what happens when people get bored of the whole thing and no more money comes in? do they just abandon them or will they become a new charity begging for money and supplies? they said they want it to be self sufficient at some point (i can't find that info atm), but how are they to do that with 20 people? to be self sufficient not only would they need to be able to supply their own food, recycle/replenish water, produce power and such, they will need complex manufacturing. things like space suits will wear out, power cells and other equipment will wear out, at some point almost everything will need replacement. how can they hope to manufacture parts and equipment with only 20 people and no real manufacturing base?

i'm sure many people out there think of this as just a modern day version of the settlement of the new world aka North America. while it does share some minor similarities, in reality it is nowhere even close. the "new world" had many differences from mars. first off the new world may have had it's dangers, but at least you could breath the air, drink the water, and eat native foods. not so on mars. there may be water, but how to get to it? it seems the settlement area would almost need to be on the equator for power issues while most water seems to be at the poles. you can't go outside without a protective suit to protect you. there is nothing even close to edible that has shown up so far. not only that but the number of "colonists" is far different. for the new world they sent ships full of people, not just FOUR people at a time every TWO YEARS. so in the new world isolation wasn't a major issue that it will be on mars. while the new world for most was a one way trip, there were still ships with new faces that would come by and drop yet more settlers and supplies off, as well as picking up items in trade that had been produced in the new world. for mars it will be unmanned ships, and every 2 years a ship dropping off just 4 new people. there will be no trade for the foreseeable future just supplies sent one direction at the whim of those back on earth. no trade just "charity".

the multitude of people that traveled to the new world also insured that there were many skills available to draw on, not to mention the skills were not as specialized and advanced as will be required for mars. in north america materials needed to build what they needed was generally at hand and easy to get a hold of, since wood was plentiful and heavily used. at first most metal would have been required from overseas but eventually they would mine, smelt and smith what they needed. yet at the same time they only needed rather simple tools and supplies in comparison to what they will need on mars. back then one person could generally make what they needed with just simple easily made tools and a few specialties needed like forging, how many things that would be needed on mars be crafted by one person using simple tools? even simple "forging" would be an issue on mars, where to get coal from for example.

all the mars one mission really is in the end is a "curiosity", like the old carnival side shows showing "freaks of nature" and curiosities from around the world. those on this mission will be no better than those "sideshow freaks" for the rest of the world to gape at as they try to survive. what will they do other than wander around exploring, and just working to survive? with so little in the way of people it is unlikely that in the end they will contribute much to science or anything other than being guinea pigs in a science experiment.

like i had said i would love to see mars colonized, heck i would even love to be there myself. but if we are going to do, lets do it right. not this "half assed", job as they are proposing. in the end i would think that this "mars one mission" would actually DO MORE HARM to the cause of colonization outside of earth, than any good that will come out of it. i think it is a mission that in the end is doomed to fail the way it is proposed.

to do it right i think first off we should start with the moon. the moon is realitively close compared to mars. it is just as inhospitable to humans as mars would be, yet at the same time it "closeness" means that we would be in a much better position on earth to help out with problems that are bound to occur, as with any new technology or venture. at the same time we should be working on a "space only ship" with some type of lander that can be used for return trips to a plane's or moon's surface. it's really too bad that the shuttle program was canceled without a replacement for them, that would be useful in getting multiple people, and supplies off of earth to space, where they could transfer to a space only ship. at the same time we should be working towards a way to have dependable gravity to lesson the effects of a zero gravity environment for so long on travelers.

also unlike this 4 people ever two years for a total of 20 people, i think to make a success of something like this you would need at least 20 people to start off with, with more groups coming later. you need a lot of differing skill sets to set up, run and maintain facilities for human habitation and work. by starting off on the moon you could also rotate crews and end up with a good sized group of people experienced in living and working in a hostile environment, that later on would be invaluable for starting up a colony on mars, or other planets and moons. people who would already KNOW the most likely issues that may occur and how to deal with them. this would most definitely lessen the fact that a small problem could wipe out the whole project that is MONTHS away from any help or emergency supplies. it would also help determine what all colonists might be able to produce for themselves as well as how hard it would be to basic elements like metals that they would need to become self sustaining.

another plus for starting out on the moon would be that scientists could be doing their thing and may even come up with new technology and products that along with things discovered by others in the colony could lessen what is needed to ship up from earth which could save a whole lot in terms of the cost and fuel needed to launch things from earth. with enough time and effort as well as people we might even start manufacturing stuff on the moon which would benefit other colonies. not to mention of course the moon would make for an excellent base to be used when shipping people and items to a colony. think of it a a transshipment point. launch things from earth to the moon, then from the moon on to it's final destination via a space only type ship. by using a space only type ship that could make multiple runs back and forth it would also cut down on materials needed when using single use rockets from earth.

a dedicated space station would even make for a better transshipment point as well as could possibly manufacture things in zero gravity that may not be acheiveable in a gravity situation. and just like a "moon base" by being close to earth would be easier to deal with any problems that arise in it's early stages.

let's go to space and make a REAL effort at it, not just go off half cocked on a suicide mission with no hope of return, and HOPE it all works out.

IM signing up. I want away from the human race on earth. Also, I want to explore the world. This is what i've been dreaming of for a while.

So it's FINALLY almost TIME!! I received a book for Christmas when I was maybe about the age of 9 could've been 10 or 11 I'm 22 now, so roughly 10 years ago since I first heard about this mission. I was SO interested in it. There were no extra details in the book (one of those children's science books about everything) it only said that there is a planned mission to Mars in the year 2020. I remember 2020, but it's probably 2022.

To never return home eh? They are really going to try and revive life on that planet.. Hmm.. I'll have to think about that one.

reply to post by whatnext21


So purpleDogUK was the first of us all then...

There was a caller on Monday night's Coast To Coast AM that said he wanted to apply because, "It might be a good shot to get away from the old lady".

reply to post by anon4m05


yeah,since we're all a bunch of loonies anyway

There is a bldg on Mars with what looks like a Dutch flag, red white blue, so 2024? Why is it on Mars now????

71 49 20.22 N 29 33 05.64W

There going to do the same mistake, as they did with Challenger (what a name).. Remember? they tried to send a mission with a teacher and booom a beam of light destroyed the ship.

Lately there are rumors, that nasa and many countries around the world, are building a defense line in marsh - they expecting something or something is coming. Now if they send ordinary humans, its like the teacher. They think that the "evil aliens" for them, will not attack because of these humans?

1) weaponise of Marsh
2) they send humans and I am sure, they've been sending specific humans, not any kind (race)...
3) they created Mythodea praising Zeus, nasa did that, after dozen of failures in their missions... maybe to allow them do their missions?

I believe there are all doomed.

originally posted by: spacejosh
terraforming mars is a fantasy it has no magnetosphere any atmosphere created will be blasted out to space from solar winds, but sign me up anyway.

if you found a way to put an atmosphere on mars that was breathable it would take about 350 million years for it to once again devolve to the point it is now. that time is calculated based on interaction of molecules with a given gravity well depth of atmosphere, density, and both brownian motion and solar and cosmic radiation in very weak magnetsphere. that's plenty of time, don'cha think? It'st 300 or so time the length of humanity's existence so far.

beyond that who knows maybe in a 100 or a thousand years we'll be able to infuse matter through quantum wormholes into the core of a planet (thorium and uranium being nice for that cold core problem.) maybe we'll be able to distribute excess solar system planetary fluff into it to increase the mass. maybe open a bunch of wormholes from the sun like a blow torch into the core.

for that matter we may be able at some point to custom assemble planets from the core up with self replicating nano robots. properly limited self replicating machines that is. i do not think the previous scientific consensus of there not being enough material left over is holding in light of ever increasing knowledge of new stuff in the solar system and in the kuiper and trans-neptune space as well as the mars jupiter asteroid belt and the sunward asteroids.

Volunteers Go To Mars, The Catch? You Never RETURN

Gee why would one want to stay in Mars and miss all this colorful reality of Earth?

I mean think about it folks, Israel-Palestine conflict, ISIS, all other wars or ready to start wars all over the planet, crashed planes from missiles, constant fear of losing every thing you own, losing your job, security...

Who would wanna trade this with a new life in a different planet?

additionally do not bring up the rocket equation or the TWR or any of that...we can build things in space you know.

if we are going to inhabit the solar system we need large well equipped comfortable cruisers with a service life of decades or centuries. we do not need crappy tin can cobbled up pieces of stuff that might barely get a few people there. we need airliners in space. we need continuous fusion fusion rockets. we need robust radiation shielding and armor that can look at an impactor and say "byotch please!" and laugh it off.

we need a fleet of them so there can be regular comings and goings between any destination and earth; not some one way mission unless one wants to stay.

originally posted by: Plotus


Quote "All i will say is, Why not send people to colonize the moon first? Its closer, more convient, safer, more logical, and would be a great place to test off world living and making a base or supply station on the moon would cut back time and make future voyages to other planets or parts of space easier..."

************************************************

I believe thats likely the consensus of most, the Moon is closer, only days away, thus a rescue could be mounted in a time appropriate frame, and have a chance of recovering the volunteers alive.
Where I think the difference comes in is that Mars does have an atmosphere. Something like 'Terraforming' might be a possibility. I'd think terraforning might take decades however if it was even possible at all.
But what I see in relationship with your premise of going to the Moon first, is that it's a 'known' that no atmosphere exists or is likely to be able to be created for long term habitation.

The moon is a far harsher environment than Mars and does not have the "live off the land" resources in abundance which Mars has.