Dutch mission to the Red Planet criticized as form of euthanasia

More than 600 applications from China have been made to join a Dutch aerospace project that plans to send humans to Mars for permanent settlement.

The project, while triggering enthusiasm to explore outer space, is also under fire, with the one-way trip being viewed by some as a suicide mission, with applicants being shipped to a planet that is uninhabitable by humans.

The project, Mars One, is being launched by a Dutch nonprofit organization, and is scheduled to take four humans to the Red Planet in 2023.

In the first three days since last Monday, as many as 20,000 people globally submitted their applications online, with more than 600 coming from China.

Bas Lansdorp, co-founder of Mars One, said he is confident of turning the dream into reality, and plans to attract more than 500,000 applicants.

He said that in the final stage, when between 24 and 40 candidates have been fully trained, the final decision on choosing the first settlers will be made by a TV audience vote.

Lansdorp said Mars One chose Shanghai as the second stop for the application press conference after New York because he believes many Chinese, including youngsters, are very interested in becoming astronauts, especially as the country already has its own astronauts.

Ma Qing, a 39-year-old bookseller, said, "I think the chance to be part of the project is a cool way for me to change a dull daily life. Besides, the air on Mars must be much cleaner and easier to breathe."

But Chang Tianxing, a space-lover from Shenzhen, Guangdong province, said, "I think such a task is only suitable for senior, experienced astronauts. Exploring life on Mars, with everything starting from scratch, is mission impossible for us."

Pang Zhihao, a space expert, said the trip to Mars will require a four-member crew, including an experienced astronaut who can drive the spaceship.

Lansdorp said that by selling live coverage of the Mars mission, it will be easy to raise the $6 billion needed to fund the project.

"There will be 4 billion Internet users by 2023, much more than for the Olympic Games," Lansdorp said, adding that organizers of the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics earned $1 billion a week.

But Pang said the project may cost more than Lansdorp imagines.

Pang said the distance between Earth and Mars means the trip will take eight to nine months using existing technology.

Pang also referred to the harsh environment on Mars, saying sandstorms there can last half a year and be six times stronger than severe typhoons on Earth.

Lansdorp said the first Mars settlers will be able to live on vegetables.

University graduate Chen Qingyun said he wants to seize the chance of realizing his space dream. He said he trusts the project, but also admits he has limited knowledge about it, the Jilin-based newspaper City Evening News reported.

Apart from doubting the feasibility of the project, Pang also voiced fears over ethical and legal issues that may arise from the mission.

"They will die there if they cannot return - this is like euthanasia. And if we watch this live show, it's cruel," Pang said.

According to the project brochure, applicants will pay an administration fee based on their country's per capita GDP. For example, a Chinese applicant would pay $11 to join the space trip.

None of the Chinese applicants had replied to requests for interviews by press time.

wang_ying@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/29/2013 page2)