Slashdot Mirror
Mars One: Final 100 Candidates Selected
hypnosec writes "The Mars One project has picked the final 100 candidates for the next round of the selection process. Initially, 202,586 people applied and ultimately around 40 will undertake a one-way trip to Mars. “The large cut in candidates is an important step towards finding out who has the right stuff to go to Mars,” said Bas Lansdorp, Co-founder & CEO of Mars One. “These aspiring martians provide the world with a glimpse into who the modern day explorers will be.”
202,586 Idiots scammed out of their money.
Have they ever put out a viable plan to reach Mars? Why are we re-printing this crap?
I know the idea of going to Mars is pretty awesome but this just reeks of scam. They are claiming they will launch the first people by 2024, a mere 9 years from now. You will note that except for a Donate link there is no mention of funding. They even say "No new technology developments are required to establish a human settlement on Mars", which is demonstrably false.
Why is slashdot giving scammers like this the time of day? This is not a real mission to Mars. This is not even a credible attempt at one. There is no funding, no realistic plan, no details, no technology development, and nothing else that should even give the slightest hint that this is anything more than a scam.
And that has always been what baffles me about this ... how is it even legal?
This isn't a "sign up for something which carries some risk". This is a "you are pretty much 100% guaranteed to die".
Seriously, WTF ... how is it legal for that??
This is a corporation/foundation/whatever they are who has NEVER even launched a single thing, has no expertise, no technology, no track record ... and somehow they've gotten thousands of people signing up to die.
This is completely ridiculous, and more than a little scary ... anybody signing up for this almost can't be in their right mind.
I'm sure the TV ratings of them all dying on Mars will be awesome, assuming they make it to Mars.
But the stunning lack of technology, skills, track record, regard for the lives of those who will be sacrificed as a PR stunt ... it just boggles the mind.
The whole thing defies common sense or belief.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
These people will be collecting Social Security long before any rocket to Mars happens, and if not, NASA or the governments that fund the project, will choose professional astronauts.
Really, it's a "fun" thought, but simply not realistic.
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
Such words don't apply to this scam, but when the day comesthat people can be sent one-way to mars there is no ethical problem at all. your concerns are groundless. People die all the time exploring, from free climbing to mountain climbing to rafting. Accepted risk by the participants, you have no right to project your cowardly values on them.
I don't understand what benefits will accrue from marooning dozens of people on mars. Will it reinvigorate space exploration to know that we sent out a Jamestown colony?