Since the Earth is becoming overpopulated, we can’t help but wonder whether humans could survive on other planets like Mars. This “good, old-fashioned curiosity” propelled Mars One, a Dutch nonprofit company, to set up a one-way trip to the Red Planet.
In order to carry out this project, the team needed at least four Earthlings, who will establish the first human settlement on the Red Planet. Meaning to say, space travelers, who wanted to be part of this mission, are expected not to ever come back. And, despite the possibility of death, 200,000 applicants still signed up for the project.
In 2015, Mars One finally revealed the names of 100 finalists who will remain in the running for this human mission to Mars.
Unfortunately, finalists who are hoping to start anew on another planet will have to stay here on Earth (forever) as the company’s seemingly ambitious and impossible goal didn’t work out. Reports about their financial loss came to people’s attention after a Redditor had stumbled upon a notice for the company’s bankruptcy for the Civil Court of the City of Basel in Switzerland—where Mars One’s parent company is situated.
The source even mentioned that on January 15, 2019, the Civil Court of the city of Basel declared the company bankrupt with less than $25,000 in its accounts. Since then, the company has been quiet and no longer pushing its operations. In an interview with Engadget, Mars One’s creator, Bas Lansdorp confirmed the news and told the publication that he was doing his utmost effort in “finding a solution.”
The company also noted that the nonprofit arm of Mars One, the Netherlands-based Mars One Foundation, is still alive and functioning: “The bankruptcy only involves Mars One Ventures AG and does not affect the financial position of the Mars One Foundation, which is the driving force behind the mission.”
“The Mars One Foundation is actively continuing its efforts to secure funding for the mission next steps, either through the listed company or directly into the Foundation.”
However, many people are still dubious about Mars One’s project. Some even described the company’s goal a scam or “fraudulent in nature,” after media outlets reported that the number of people who showed interest in living on Mars was actually 2,761 and not 200,000.
What do you expect? Promises are meant to be broken.
