Bas Lansdorp is a Dutch entrepreneur who saw his dreams of colonizing Mars crumble into red dust after his company, Mars One, declared bankruptcy. The company was made up of a not-for-profit called the Mars One Foundation and a for-profit company called Mars One Ventures.
The idea behind Mars One was to colonize the red planet within the next five years. However, the details on how this dream would be achieved were always very sketchy and secretive.
Mars One Ventures, the Swiss-based side of the company, was declared bankrupt on January 15th. Its value at the time was around $100 million.
Meanwhile, Mars One Foundation is UK-based and is the dormant company. Lansdorp informed Engadget that the Foundation was still operating but can’t act without investment. However, he added that he is working “to find a solution.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=234&v=n4tgkyUBkbY
Mars One Doomed From the Start
Mars One has been criticized by the space exploration community since its founding. In 2013, it put out a call for applications for four humans to be sent to Mars on a one-way ticket. Supposedly, 200,000 people applied.
The idea was then to use third-party aerospace hardware and technology to colonise Mars. Lansdorp also suggested that modular inflatable life support units would be used to house astronauts.
However, the company has been criticized for its lack of contracts with the space industry and its questionable finances and ethics. As a result, many were led to believe that Mars One was simply a scam.
If you’re feeling sad that this mission which never left Earth, don’t be. There are plenty of other more reliable organizations working on promising space projects. Check them out, here.
Source: Dezeen
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