Mars One - One way ticket to Mars BB style

[Davey-T]

I think harvesting enough power rather than just being blown forwards by the plasma will be very difficult.

Also, you have to remember that there is no atmosphere to carry blast as on Earth... which may be a good thing, that close to a fusion reaction!

You might need rather good radiation shielding too.

And lots of spare underpants

Dave

[Kropster]

I don't really think we should go down the government conspiracy theory route.

It is more likely a publicity stunt or the people behind it don't really have a grasp on the reality of the scheme or the technology required.

I am not surprised by the number of applicants. I would think that most have not considered the physical realities behind the journey to Mars and living there.... total reliance on technology FOREVER!

How long would you trust your fridge to work without the possibility of getting spare parts?!

Would you want to spend the rest of your life indoors or else inside a deep sea diving suit?

[Dr Nurburg]

I don't really think we should go down the government conspiracy theory route.

Conspiracy? Who's conspiring? Nah, I just meant some "kind" of psychological experiment. It's not that far fetched.

[bombassa]

I will not leave. Unemployment on Mars is nearly as bad as in the EU.

[Kropster]

There are NO unemployed people on Mars!

[Ydoow]

Maybe it's just me, but the whole notion of voting for Mars astronauts on a reality TV show, and the profits from that TV show providing the funds to make the trip all seems sketchy. I'd rather have solid backing based on something other than the whim of the TV watching public for my Mars mission.

I completely agree. I was actually excited about this, and considered signing up until I discovered they were making this out to be some sort of Reality TV show/elimination challenge thing.

I understand the need to grab public attention and funding, but this just seems to really cheapen the idea of such an accomplishment.

[E621Keith]

You know what will happen. After a few seasons, viewers would get bored of it, ratings would drop, and the channel will cancel the show.

Also, as we any reality TV show, they will find the most annoying people in the country to participate. Just imagine being lock up with these people for the rest of your life.

Which won't be very long life, because when they cancel the show, the funding and resupply will stop. Since the technology for a return flight do not exist, the participant will last until their supplies runs out, or until the 'catastrophic accident'.

Meanwhile on Earth, the program will be axed and replace by other freak show. A few managers and executive may lose their job, but life goes on as normal.

If they want to create space colony, they can start with the moon. At least we demonstrated the capability of flying people to and returning people from the lunar surface back in the 70's. Martian atmosphere is so thin it's essentially a vacuum for humans and Mars do not have a magnetic field or ozone layer that will protect the surface from radiation. Essentially it's as hostile as the moon, but much further away.