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THERE’S JUST 100 people still in the running to go to the Red Planet as part of the ambitious ‘Mars One’ project being spearheaded by a Dutch entrepreneur.
Trinity-based astrophysicist Dr Joseph Roche has made the cut to the final few, but there was no appearance on this morning’s list by either of other two Irish-based candidates: IT professional Steve Menaa, and Dr Catherine McGrath.
Hundreds of thousands applied for the chance to be part of the first permanent human settlement on Mars.
1,058 people were announced as candidates at the start of last year — but around a third had dropped out by last April, after the deadline for making their website profiles ‘public’ and providing medical statements passed.
The initiative of entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp and scientist Arno Wielders, both from The Netherlands, the Mars One project aims to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars by the year 2025.
It would see two dozen pioneers abandon Earth and embark on a risky mission to begin a new life some 55 million km away. The final 24 would be sent to the Red Planet in six separate launches, starting in 2024.
The high cost of the mission — estimated at €4.4 billion — precludes the option of a return trip. It’s planned the project will be mainly funded by a reality-TV show detailing candidates’ progress.
“The large cut in candidates is an important step towards finding out who has the right stuff to go to Mars,” Lansdorp said in a statement.
The cull was made after online interviews, carried out by the project’s chief medical officer.
“During the interviews the candidates had a chance to show their understanding of the risks involved, team spirit and their motivation to be part of this life changing expedition,” the statement said.
50 men and 50 women make up the 100. 39 come from the Americas, 31 from Europe, 16 from Asia, 7 from Africa, and 7 from Oceania.
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Yes James, we all blindly believe you! You couldn’t just discuss that one site with Nama, as it would be too obvious. So you threw another few in, to throw a wall of Fog up around it. We aren’t stupid, you lying two faced Facist blueshirt!
Facist Blueshirt…. !!! Nice comment…Thats says a lot about you..
I wonder which party you are involved in Stephen…Had a glance at your tweets btw…nice use of english..
This smells like Minister Michael Lowry’s type of decision making all over again. This certainly should warrant his dismissal.
Correct.
Has he decided that the new children’s hospital would be perfect for Swords or Balbriggan yet?
No, the new National Children’s Hospital is odds on to relocated Castlebar.
He looks like a crook in the photo.
Oh wait ..
Yea ………. Along with all his colleagues
Fat Tony from The Simpsons. Except that cartoon is more believable than this government,
fat tony yea who is mr burns?
Pat Carey is Mr. Burns.
Only he’s got an airport already he’d want one of those as well. Taxi for Dr Reilly.
Anyone wonder why Angela Merkel calls Enda Kenny Smithers.
was that really worth saying?? what have you added apart from another cheap shot… These forums are a pathetc joke
…and yet you still come back for more Declan !
O’Reilly from Fawlty Towers was more trustworthy than this guy.
Squire Hockey must be looking down (or up) and wondering when it was exactly that the Blueshirts usurped Fenian Failure’s mantle as the country’s arbiters of clientism and corruption. Plus ca change and all that….
As Reilly committed the same offence as Sean Quinn’s son, ie. failure to comply with a court directive, at that time he should have been sitting in a cell with Quinn and not sitting down with NAMA.
Jack Kiernan
He’s still in a job because he’s not entitled to his minsters pension yet. As soon as he is, shortly afterwards he’ll be moved aside.
A payback from Enda for the support in the great heavy ho.
Don’t forget FG Have been out of office for a while, it’s a long time since they clocked up a massive pension fund for some of the faithful
O’Reilly has more baggage than a RyanAir flight to Malaga. How he is still in a job is just another example of this shambollic government.
It’s blindingly obvious what O’Reilly was trying to do! The guy has been caught out doing a Fianna FAILure on it and playing gombeen politics for his own electoral benefit. The man is a disgrace and should have been sacked. It say all you need to know about the current shower in power that they all backed him up, nothing ever changes, the same abuses we saw under the last shower just carry on as usual with this bunch of chancers. Bottom line, they are all as crooked and bent as each other, don’t be surprised if the new children’s hospital isn’t moved to a location in a marginal FG constituency or worse to Mayo!
Corrupt to the bone!!
In response, Gilmore said: “In relation to individual ministers and who they meet and what’s in their diary and when: to be honest, I can’t track, nor do I want to track, the diaries of every minister in this Government and who they met and when they met and so on… nor indeed could I possibly do so.”
Why not? Why isnt it possible for this to be done? In this particular case, surely all the available evidence SHOULD be looked at? And if Gilmore doesnt do it himself, why don’t others, mandated by him, do it on his behalf? Wouldn’t this fall into the category of ‘transparency and accountability’ that he is so fond of banging on about (when he is taking a break from running Ireland and Europe)
Whats exactly does this change?? A waste of question by SF?? So what if he met with NAMA…If we can use a property that the state already owns for a primary care site then great??? I fail to see anything in this….Why are you even bothering to write it up??? Most be a real slow news day!!!
What does it change? He said he had no hand in selection of sites. This suggests otherwise. Also, you do know that lobbying NAMA is illegal? And how is it a waste of a question? TD’s can ask as many written questions as they like. You’re not a FG supporter by any chance??
@Declan your obviously a FG fan so your comments dont hold much because……….
It is a pity that Roscommon Co Council did not have your attitude Declan , and use already built office space ,instead of squandering €18,000,000 that they have to borrow ! For shame !
Would not believe a word out of his mouth
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