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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
 Posted - 07/09/2012 : 15:29:29
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I stumbled across a site called "Mars-One where some Dutch firm has a rather ambitious-sounding project to put people on Mars in 2023.
You can skim the site for details, but the idea is to set things up for people during the next few years so that by 2022, they launch and set off for the Red Planet. Then, periodically, more people will arrive (along with more supplies, etc.). Of course, these are one way trips-- there aren't going to be return rockets for the foreseeable future.
It sounds a little impossible to do, but who knows.
For me, though, I was just thinking about what life on Mars would be like in that situation, and how viable it would be. A lot of questions immediately came to mind.
1) What would you do all day? I mean, there would obviously be some work to do-- with just 4 of you, people would have to probably spend time setting stuff up and then, once it's up, maintain it and, if needed, repair it. But that can't happen every day, can it? Then what?
2) What happens if the project goes bust? This is all a big private gig, after all, and if it loses money they might pull the plug on the program. And then...? Suppose you're that group of 4 expecting there to be 2 more in a few years, and two more after that, and so on. But what if after the first 4 go up, they're like "yeah, sorry, we can't afford it so you're on your own." That would sort of suck, no?
3) Sex. Let's be honest here. They could make sure to have two M-F couples or something, but what if they don't get along? Or do for the first 6 months and then decide they're tired of one another? Then what? You're just waiting for the next shuttle to fly along (in 18 months) hoping that at least 1 of the 2 new people is cute and funny? It could make for a very lonely existence out there.
4) Doctors? Obviously there will be video hook-ups that will allow for people to communicate with doctors (on an annoying lag of several minutes due to speed of light issues, if I'm not mistaken). But what if they're like "yeah, you're sick and need such-and-such medicine" and they check the cabinet and see that there is none. Then what? "We'll send that stuff in the next supply shipment in 2 years." Awesome.
I don't know. It seems like it's a recipe for disaster, but I could be wrong.
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2012 : 23:06:49 [Permalink]
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I'm stunned. No provision for return to Earth. Financed by corporate donations and a Big Brother type TV show. Where's the science?
What happens when someone gets cancer, perhaps from radiation? (The habitats seem to be unshielded on the surface.) What happens when that cancer sufferer pleads for a trip back? Does that bring in more or less money from commercial sponsors?
This appears to be engineered to become the modern equivalent of the Norse Greenland colonies (also, this link) and their horrible, slow, lonely decline. That same sad decline seems engineered into the rather pointless Mars One "mission". I can't see how anyone might come up with an idea which promises to be more effective as a lasting example of how horrible space colonization can be. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 07/10/2012 00:18:51 |
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sailingsoul
SFN Addict
2830 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 04:07:11 [Permalink]
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| Nuts. |
There are only two types of religious people, the deceivers and the deceived. SS |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
 Posted - 07/10/2012 : 05:04:44 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by sailingsoul
Nuts.
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Seconded and I'll add, 
Lol, we could barely manage a moon base with $10 trillion by 2023.
If the vasamir engine works out and can be built reliably by 2018 we may be able to take a few trips there and back by 2023, but even that will cost trillions, which no one will have and no one will offer. There are no viable commercial operations to justify that kind of corporate involvement.
Naturally this is all George W's fault, with his wanna-be Kennedy "Let's kill NASA by going to Mars" crap.
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"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 05:07:06 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by sailingsoul
Nuts. |
Agreed.
Essentially, this is like one of the options which I once heard had been presented to President Kennedy for a manned moon landing. That option was to land one man, and just leave him there to die. Fortunately, Kennedy didn't care for that option. Mars-One is just not an option that will be allowed to proceed. Not as a one-way trip, certainly. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 07/10/2012 05:09:57 |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 09:43:40 [Permalink]
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| One thing I'd do if I were this company, once I've picked my first four astronauts, is sit each one in a room with their closest family members and friends, and I'd have them say something along the lines of "Look, I know this is dangerous and there are a lot of unknowns-- machines could fail, people could go crazy, who knows. So I could die a horrible death. But I am aware of this, and I'm taking these risks because I want the adventure and fame. So don't sue if anything goes wrong." And then I'd get that on film. High definition film. And I'd store it. That way, when there is a huge systems failure and people start mauling one another with wrenches on prime time television because they were infected with some crazy alien virus that's been dormant for the past 3 billion years, I'm more likely to survive a lawsuit. |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 10:43:47 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Cuneiformist
One thing I'd do if I were this company, once I've picked my first four astronauts, is sit each one in a room with their closest family members and friends, and I'd have them say something along the lines of "Look, I know this is dangerous and there are a lot of unknowns-- machines could fail, people could go crazy, who knows. So I could die a horrible death. But I am aware of this, and I'm taking these risks because I want the adventure and fame. So don't sue if anything goes wrong." And then I'd get that on film. High definition film. And I'd store it. That way, when there is a huge systems failure and people start mauling one another with wrenches on prime time television because they were infected with some crazy alien virus that's been dormant for the past 3 billion years, I'm more likely to survive a lawsuit.
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Just make them get a ticket to Mars on Ticketmaster, then your covered, great legalese on those. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 10:45:29 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Cuneiformist
1) What would you do all day? I mean, there would obviously be some work to do-- with just 4 of you, people would have to probably spend time setting stuff up and then, once it's up, maintain it and, if needed, repair it. But that can't happen every day, can it? Then what?
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Risk: Mars?
Edit: Or low oxygen Russian roulette? Guns won't work on Mars right? |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
| Edited by - BigPapaSmurf on 07/10/2012 10:48:58 |
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Hal
Skeptic Friend
USA
302 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 10:46:48 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Cuneiformist
One thing I'd do if I were this company, once I've picked my first four astronauts, is sit each one in a room with their closest family members and friends, and I'd have them say something along the lines of "Look, I know this is dangerous and there are a lot of unknowns-- machines could fail, people could go crazy, who knows. So I could die a horrible death. But I am aware of this, and I'm taking these risks because I want the adventure and fame. So don't sue if anything goes wrong." And then I'd get that on film. High definition film. And I'd store it. That way, when there is a huge systems failure and people start mauling one another with wrenches on prime time television because they were infected with some crazy alien virus that's been dormant for the past 3 billion years, I'm more likely to survive a lawsuit.
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Most importantly, it will provide the critical exposition in the opening scenes of the inevitable Blair Witch -style found-footage "documentary."
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 10:50:34 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Hal
Originally posted by Cuneiformist
One thing I'd do if I were this company, once I've picked my first four astronauts, is sit each one in a room with their closest family members and friends, and I'd have them say something along the lines of "Look, I know this is dangerous and there are a lot of unknowns-- machines could fail, people could go crazy, who knows. So I could die a horrible death. But I am aware of this, and I'm taking these risks because I want the adventure and fame. So don't sue if anything goes wrong." And then I'd get that on film. High definition film. And I'd store it. That way, when there is a huge systems failure and people start mauling one another with wrenches on prime time television because they were infected with some crazy alien virus that's been dormant for the past 3 billion years, I'm more likely to survive a lawsuit.
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Most importantly, it will provide the critical exposition in the opening scenes of the inevitable Blair Witch -style found-footage "documentary."
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Well If it makes 5000 times the box office of Avatar, it should cover the whole project! |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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moakley
SFN Regular
USA
1888 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 11:25:12 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by HalfMooner
I'm stunned. No provision for return to Earth.
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I thinking Space Cowboys. |
Life is good
Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned. -Anonymous |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 11:25:31 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by BigPapaSmurf
Risk: Mars?
Edit: Or low oxygen Russian roulette? Guns won't work on Mars right?
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Guns should work just as on Earth, but with much less wind resistance. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 13:52:38 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by BigPapaSmurf
Edit: Or low oxygen Russian roulette? Guns won't work on Mars right?
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Actually, they would. The oxygen needed is included in the gun powder mix. The bullet will probably travel 20 times as far if you aim it right.
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 22:43:50 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
Originally posted by BigPapaSmurf
Edit: Or low oxygen Russian roulette? Guns won't work on Mars right?
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Actually, they would. The oxygen needed is included in the gun powder mix. The bullet will probably travel 20 times as far if you aim it right.
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Right! The combination of thin air and about 1/3 Earth grabbity should make shooting pretty spectacular. A sniper would have to relearn range settings, however. It should be possible to shoot a typical rifle bullet way over the horizon. Of course, none of this matters much in Russian Roulette. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 07/10/2012 22:45:40 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2012 : 00:32:54 [Permalink]
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Mars-One, by Month Three. (Junked cars seem to materialize wherever rednecks settle.) |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 07/11/2012 02:15:46 |
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Hal
Skeptic Friend
USA
302 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2012 : 05:37:40 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by HalfMooner
Mars-One, by Month Three. (Junked cars seem to materialize wherever rednecks settle.)
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I would have put the rednecks between the muslims and the japanese. |
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Mars living
