"Hello, I'd like to go to Mars because this project is very important for the human race. I have been inspired throughout my life by the stories of people like Columbus and Gagarin."
So begins the video presentation of José Manuel, a man who identifies himself as a 46 year old Cuban, eager to be part of a scientific project that would take him to Mars, never to return.
And no, these are not the ravings of a Cuban wanderlust. As farfetched as it may seem at first glance, the possibility of moving to the Red Planet is real. Mars One is a private project undertaken by Dutch researcher Bas Lansdorp, with a multidisciplinary team from various countries, to establish a permanent human colony on Mars, beginning in 2023.
Planet Earth will become the spectator of every aspect of the mission, from the selection of astronauts and their preparation to their arrival and life on Mars. All this will be done through an interactive television program, in an attempt to raise funds. The organizers insist that suppliers be selected based on a balance of price and quality, not through political or national preferences.
After watching candidate videos and reading brief text introductions on the Mars One website, audiences can evaluate the hopefuls with a score of 1 to 5.
The first selected inhabitants of Mars will train for eight years in an environment as similar as possible to their final destination. They will even test all the equipment inside a replica of the Martian facilities and will depart in groups of 4. During the eight month journey, their living quarters will be confined to a few square meters; they’ll eat canned and dry foods and will have to withstand the constant noise of fans and computers. Once there, they will only have two hundred square meters of living space, but it is expected that they will gradually adapt to the new routine.
The new inhabitants will have said goodbye to family and friends for good, and to the world as they currently know it. Communication with them will be scarce, with 7 minutes of lag time. Return is not an option. The technology is not available and the body will adapt irreversibly to the gravitational conditions of the their new home.
Having read the mission and vision of the company, José Manuel reassures that he understands the challenges of the expedition. Conditions notwithstanding, participants will be provided with everything they need to start a new life: safe buildings, clean air, clean water and food.
Gradually, the new "conquerors" will be able to extract enough water from the existing ice to use for cooking, bathing, harvesting plants in greenhouses and to produce oxygen through electrolysis. Mars has large sources of nitrogen, the primary element in the air we breathe.
Despite the criticism of skeptics, the Mars One team says the technology necessary for the success of this mission is now available, gleaned from the experiences of Skylab, Mir, and the International Space Station. By using solar panels, a nuclear reactor won’t be needed, thereby avoiding risks and saving money. Rovers will facilitate basic construction before the arrival of the explorers.
"I believe in good thoughts and constant improvement. The most important things in work and life are human values,” says José Manuel. Invariably, intellectual stimulation will not be overlooked on this endeavor.
"I personally believe,” says the Cuban adventurer, “that it’s time to say: we are here on Mars, forever discovering a new world." Although no details are given regarding where candidates live, José Manuel affirms that he has lived in different countries, under difficult conditions and is used to speaking in other languages and in dealing with diverse people.
The site provides no contact information for the participants, and so far attempts by MartiNoticias.com to contact the Mars One team have been unsuccessful. If you know this Cuban, please contact us. We’re interested in interviewing him.
So begins the video presentation of José Manuel, a man who identifies himself as a 46 year old Cuban, eager to be part of a scientific project that would take him to Mars, never to return.
And no, these are not the ravings of a Cuban wanderlust. As farfetched as it may seem at first glance, the possibility of moving to the Red Planet is real. Mars One is a private project undertaken by Dutch researcher Bas Lansdorp, with a multidisciplinary team from various countries, to establish a permanent human colony on Mars, beginning in 2023.
Planet Earth will become the spectator of every aspect of the mission, from the selection of astronauts and their preparation to their arrival and life on Mars. All this will be done through an interactive television program, in an attempt to raise funds. The organizers insist that suppliers be selected based on a balance of price and quality, not through political or national preferences.
After watching candidate videos and reading brief text introductions on the Mars One website, audiences can evaluate the hopefuls with a score of 1 to 5.
The first selected inhabitants of Mars will train for eight years in an environment as similar as possible to their final destination. They will even test all the equipment inside a replica of the Martian facilities and will depart in groups of 4. During the eight month journey, their living quarters will be confined to a few square meters; they’ll eat canned and dry foods and will have to withstand the constant noise of fans and computers. Once there, they will only have two hundred square meters of living space, but it is expected that they will gradually adapt to the new routine.
The new inhabitants will have said goodbye to family and friends for good, and to the world as they currently know it. Communication with them will be scarce, with 7 minutes of lag time. Return is not an option. The technology is not available and the body will adapt irreversibly to the gravitational conditions of the their new home.
Having read the mission and vision of the company, José Manuel reassures that he understands the challenges of the expedition. Conditions notwithstanding, participants will be provided with everything they need to start a new life: safe buildings, clean air, clean water and food.
Gradually, the new "conquerors" will be able to extract enough water from the existing ice to use for cooking, bathing, harvesting plants in greenhouses and to produce oxygen through electrolysis. Mars has large sources of nitrogen, the primary element in the air we breathe.
Despite the criticism of skeptics, the Mars One team says the technology necessary for the success of this mission is now available, gleaned from the experiences of Skylab, Mir, and the International Space Station. By using solar panels, a nuclear reactor won’t be needed, thereby avoiding risks and saving money. Rovers will facilitate basic construction before the arrival of the explorers.
"I believe in good thoughts and constant improvement. The most important things in work and life are human values,” says José Manuel. Invariably, intellectual stimulation will not be overlooked on this endeavor.
"I personally believe,” says the Cuban adventurer, “that it’s time to say: we are here on Mars, forever discovering a new world." Although no details are given regarding where candidates live, José Manuel affirms that he has lived in different countries, under difficult conditions and is used to speaking in other languages and in dealing with diverse people.
The site provides no contact information for the participants, and so far attempts by MartiNoticias.com to contact the Mars One team have been unsuccessful. If you know this Cuban, please contact us. We’re interested in interviewing him.
