Ask Bas Lansdorp About Going to Mars, One Way 540
NASA's been solicited ideas for exploring Mars, but Dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp is already planning a different kind of trip than is likely to come from the U.S. government. Lansdorp's Mars One project has the goal of putting humans on Mars in 2022, with a twist that might dampen many people's hopes to be a Mars-exploring astronaut: the trip Lansdorp plans is one-way only. That means dramatically less fuel on board, because unlike typical Mars voyage plans, there would be no need (or ability) to carry the mechanism or the energy storage to return to Earth. If you (and three close companions) are willing to go be the first people to die on Mars, you'll also need to give up more than a pinch of privacy, because the Mars One plan to obtain the necessary funding is straightforward: create a media spectacle, and monetize it through advertising. (Note: If Elon Musk's optimistic sounding predictions are right, maybe one-way Marstronauts can get a return ticket, after all.) Many questions about the proposed journey are answered in the project's FAQ; check there before formulating questions. Ask Lansdorp about the practicalities and impracticalities of reaching Mars with as many questions as you'd like, but (lest ye be modded down) please only one question per post.
will i still have to pay child support? (Score:5, Funny)
will i still be liable for child support if I move to Mars?
Are you taking Snooki? (Score:5, Funny)
First of all, I'll contribute to any project that gets reality TV stars off the planet, and then kills them.
My question is: Which reality stars are you shooting into space? Snooki? Kim Kardashian?
Or is it going to be a series like "Survivor", where 7 start out, and eventually at least 4 are voted out the airlock during the trip there? We all know reality TV is fake though, so is this really 'Capricorn One'?
Re:what are the entertainment options like? (Score:3, Funny)
You'll be coding applications for the mobile web. It's an unpaid internship, which will make you and your crewmates the low cost bidder.
Make sure you bring a decent laptop with you.
Re:Why not shoot yourself into the sun? (Score:5, Funny)
You could go at night!
Re:will i still have to pay child support? (Score:5, Funny)
There will be exactly zero law enforcement there. You can kill your fellow crew members in a most spectacular way and then eat their brains. All on national TV and nobody will be able to do anything about that.
Re:Participant Psychosis? (Score:5, Funny)
Mars will need lawyers & politicians. I suggest we start by sending them.
Re:Participant Psychosis? (Score:4, Funny)
Mars will need lawyers & politicians. I suggest we start by sending them.
And telephone sanitizers.
Marketing (Score:5, Funny)
The Hershey landing module (a big F You to the Mars Chocolate [mars.com] family of brands) breaks off from the Orbitz.com Orbital Station and begins its descent, brought to you by American Airlines, where you're flying ALL the friendly skies. After 20 harrowing minutes of commentary, uninterrupted thanks to a generous grant from Microsoft (well uninterrupted except for two brief blue screens), the lander touches down within sight of the majestic Coors Mountain range on the VISA plains (where they don't take American Express).
The Chevron chevrons unlock, and the capsule door slides open. The first man on Mars, Captain Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino descends the CareerBuilder.com ladder and says those immortal words that will ring throughout history: "That's one.smallstepfor a Nikeone, giant leap, thanks to Five Hour Energy."
I'm tearing up just thinking about. Thank goodness I have a bottle of Clear Eyes handy.
Re:Participant Psychosis? (Score:4, Funny)
"...Not much time for pain, I'd say. If you exercise before exposing yourself, it should be even faster."
Before becoming Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger was exposed to the atmosphere of Mars and he exercised regularly. It looked rather painful, at least in the video of it that I saw. Not sure where I saw it (prolly Fox News).