# Is the Mars One project a scam **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116 "2017-03-13T21:30:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nansbread1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Nansbread1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nansbread1)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/1 "2017-03-13T21:30:20Z")
They have interviewed hundreds to be the first astronauts to land on Mars and live there. They collected monies from all the applicants. They have nothing to show in terms of technology. How can it not be a scam? Why are they still allowed to operate. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/2 "2017-03-13T21:32:43Z")
[The Mars One Project.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_One) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/3 "2017-03-13T21:59:50Z")
[Previous](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752247) [threads](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=678995). ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/4 "2017-03-13T22:28:31Z")
[This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=764759) is a very good earlier thread on the plausibility of a Mars mission in general. (Of course, Elan Musk plans to put sixty gazillion colonists on Mars by next April, or something like that.) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/5 "2017-03-13T22:51:47Z")
Their [roadmap](http://www.mars-one.com/mission/roadmap) now has the first crew landing on Mars in … 2032. That’s 10 years from the prediction in the 2013 thread and 7 years from the prediction in the 2015 thread. They’re losing more than a year per year. I quote myself. > [@](#): > > Ten years? Ha, ha, ha, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ten ha, ha, haaaah yea - hah, hah, hah - rs? Ha, hah, ha, ha, ha, hah. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/6 "2017-03-13T22:54:10Z")
At that rate, they’ll _never_ get there… oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![dofe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@dofe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dofe)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/7 "2017-03-13T22:57:54Z")
> [@Nansbread1](#): > > They have interviewed hundreds to be the first astronauts to land on Mars and live there. They collected monies from all the applicants. They have nothing to show in terms of technology. > > How can it not be a scam? Why are they still allowed to operate. Are you asking whether this falls under the legal definition of fraud? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/8 "2017-03-13T23:02:31Z")
> [@dofe](#): > > Are you asking whether this falls under the legal definition of fraud? It’s only fraud if they are selling you something THEY KNOW is never going to happen. They may be deluded enough to think they can do this so if that’s the case it’s not fraud. Plus they are testing rockets so it’s not like it’s a complete fabrication. ---
**Author:** ![dofe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@dofe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dofe)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/9 "2017-03-13T23:06:04Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > It’s only fraud if they are selling you something THEY KNOW is never going to happen. They may be deluded enough to think they can do this so if that’s the case it’s not fraud. Plus they are testing rockets so it’s not like it’s a complete fabrication. I agree. Under the OP’s reasoning, most of Silicon Valley’s startups are scams and should be prohibited from operating. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/10 "2017-03-13T23:59:12Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > It’s only fraud if they are selling you something THEY KNOW is never going to happen. They may be deluded enough to think they can do this so if that’s the case it’s not fraud. Plus they are testing rockets so it’s not like it’s a complete fabrication. Got a cite for any rocket tests? The wikipedia [Mars One](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_One#Launcher)page only says they have been in discussion with SpaceX and that dates back to 2014, with SPaceX saying their Falcon Heavy (which is still in development) would need modificaitons for Mars One to use it. > [@dofe](#): > > I agree. Under the OP’s reasoning, most of Silicon Valley’s startups are scams and should be prohibited from operating. Not prohibited from operating, but prohibited from soliciting money from the public, sure. ---
**Author:** ![dofe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@dofe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dofe)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/11 "2017-03-14T00:14:22Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > Not prohibited from operating, but prohibited from soliciting money from the public, sure. But again, under what rationale are you prohibiting Mars One from soliciting investor money? ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/12 "2017-03-14T09:03:48Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Their [roadmap](http://www.mars-one.com/mission/roadmap) now has the first crew landing on Mars in … 2032. That’s 10 years from the prediction in the 2013 thread and 7 years from the prediction in the 2015 thread. They’re losing more than a year per year. > > I quote myself. > [@Ethilrist](#): > > At that rate, they’ll _never_ get there… oh, wait… They are just waiting on the fusion propulsion motor. That’s just around the corner - or else it’s free. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/13 "2017-03-14T14:21:24Z")
A fool and his money, etc. This isn’t a scam, it’s just the modern version of selling snake-oil. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2017, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/14 "2017-03-14T14:33:21Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > It’s only fraud if they are selling you something THEY KNOW is never going to happen. No. It’s _knew or should have known_. I don’t _know_ that vegetable oil does not cure cancer. Yet, if I put some vegetable oil in a medicine bottle and sell it to you as a cancer cure, and you reasonably rely on my representation and buy my cancer oil, I have defrauded you. I don’t know enough about Mars One to know if they know they’re going to fail - and although there are certain practical issues which make a Mars mission implausible regardless of funding, they could probably argue that their odds of success are dependent on how many people buy in. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/15 "2017-03-16T15:53:55Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > It’s only fraud if they are selling you something THEY KNOW is never going to happen. “[It’s not a lie if you believe it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn_PSJsl0LQ).” ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/16 "2017-03-16T19:49:33Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > A fool and his money, etc. This isn’t a scam, it’s just the modern version of selling snake-oil. aka a scam. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/17 "2017-03-16T20:00:11Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > A fool and his money, etc. This isn’t a scam, it’s just the modern version of selling snake-oil. What do you think selling snake oil is? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/18 "2017-03-16T20:02:32Z")
I don’t think Mars One is a scam, but it has lower-than-Powerball chances of ever actually doing what it sets out to do. FWIW, I was one of the 200,000+ people who applied to be Mars One astronauts, several years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/19 "2017-03-16T21:27:50Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > What do you think selling snake oil is? The old version of selling trips to Mars? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2017, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-mars-one-project-a-scam/782116/20 "2017-03-17T01:46:25Z")
> [@dofe](#): > > I agree. Under the OP’s reasoning, most of Silicon Valley’s startups are scams and should be prohibited from operating. Angel investment and the like generally requires being a “qualified investor”, which basically consists of proving that you have the money to blow on a longshot. The general public isn’t invited, because there’s too high a probability of stealing grandma’s life savings. So, no prohibited, but limited to people that should both know better and can afford a gambling loss.