Mars One

Mars One: What Went Wrong?

Now that the company has dissolved, will we ever colonize Mars?

Travel to Mars would be dangerous, difficult, and expensive. So why do so many billionaires want to do it?

As long as there are people with unlimited means who believe the Earth’s days are numbered, they will be ready and willing to invest in their own survival. To determine whether or not space exploration is a sound investment for individuals, we must first look to the example of the failed Mars One, which aimed to establish a permanent settlement on Mars.

Mars One promised one-way tickets to space, where those who were lucky enough to secure an enviable position on a shuttle would become permanent residents of the Red Planet. However, it was recently discovered Mars One is bankrupt. What went wrong?

Mars One Proposed Timeline

This was the initial timeline set forth by the ambitious Mars One corporation, which believed they’d be able to begin colonizing Mars within the next few years.

2012

In 2012, the Mars One organization and its founder Bas Lansdorp announced their plan to colonize Mars by sending groups of “pioneers” on a one-way mission to space, never to return to Earth.

2013

In 2013, the first round of astronaut applications closed. In total, over 200,000 people applied.

2015

In 2015, the final 100 astronauts were chosen, boosting them to instant celebrity status, even though it was short-lived.

2020

One year from now, in 2020, Mars One planned to launch their first robotic mission.

2023

In 2023, Mars One planned to deliver the first colonists to Mars. They believed at least six groups of astronauts would complete this first mission.

How They Planned to Fund It

As we discussed in last week’s post, there are a handful of billionaires racing to become the first to use their own money to colonize Mars. However, that is not how Mars One’s flights were going to be funded. Incredibly, the original plan was to turn the Mars million into a self-funded reality television program.

Mars One and Big Brother producer Paul Römer believed they’d bring in enough in revenue by giving the average person a glimpse into how people prepared for the mission, from training through the eventual landing on the planet. The end goal was to get enough people to Mars that a new society could be created as an alternative to a future Earth that has been decimated.

If all went according to plan, at some point the ad revenue and/or paid viewers would dry up, and of course everyone eventually tires of TV shows, but Mars One didn’t think that far into the future. Unless, of course, they planned spin-off shows about the colonizers’ lives after their arrival. Now we’ll never see so much as a pilot episode.

Those who aimed to become one of the Mars 100 paid a $40 application fee. With 200,000 applicants, they collected $8M off application fees alone—still a far cry from their $6B goal.

Swiss documents were exposed on Reddit that Mars One was bankrupt about about to be liquidated. At the time the bankruptcy was filed, the company had fewer than $25,000 in their account, a far cry from the billions that would be required for a single mission.

Why Scientists Said It Wouldn’t Work

From the beginning, prominent scientists and engineers said Mars One wouldn’t work. The evidence leans heavily in their favor.

Humans would need to grow their own food because they can’t bring enough from Earth to sustain them. These crops would produce oxygen, which would create pressure. If the nitrogen -generating equipment necessary to grow food should fail, everyone on Mars would suffocate within 68 days.
Whatever environment is present on Mars now would be irreversibly damaged once humans arrived—bringing billions of bacteria with them. If there is life there now in any form, we could wipe them out, along with the conditions that might allow us to survive.
The likelihood of the astronauts surviving the dangerous journey is highly unlikely. This equipment simply hasn’t been tested for long enough to make Mars One’s 2023 goal. In 2014 the company said they wouldn’t show a catastrophic event during a live broadcast, which is hardly comforting or confidence-inspiring.

Do you think Mars colonization is worth the money and effort? At TEOTWAWKI, would you trust today’s technology to safely usher you to a new society on a new planet?

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has plans to begin colonizing Mars as early as 2050. Musk has everything from new rocket fuels to refueling depots around the solar system in development. Will Musk reach his goal of seeing his Starship rocket make its first commercial flight in two years? It doesn’t seem likely, but with access to limitless funds and the most brilliant scientific minds of our times, it’s hardly out of the question.

Mars One goes bankrupt.

How the US Military could colonize Mars.

August 22, 2019November 22, 2019

The Billionaire Space Race: Who Will Win?

No matter which one gets to Mars first, humanity will be the real winner.

If you had every resource in the world at your disposal, would you make survival on another planet your main focus? Billionaires around the world are doing just that. The billionaire space race has only just gotten started, and already some are closer to the finish line than others.

Who Will be the First Billionaire on Mars?

The race to Mars is about more than survival. Billionaires are in competition with each other for bragging rights as well. Who will win? Only time—and a whole lot of money—will tell. So far over $18.4 billion has been spent on space exploration, and we can expect that figure to skyrocket faster than a billionaire on his way to Mars in the future.

Who are the billionaires currently winning the race? These are the top three contenders.

Elon Musk

Elon Musk is a citizen of the U.S., South Africa, and Canada, and next he wants to become a citizen of Mars.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has the ultimate goal of building a rocket that can carry 100 passengers to Mars once every 26 months, when the planets are aligned. So far the plan is to launch the first crew in 2024, with the possibility of beginning to colonize the red planet by 2025. The billionaire believes humans could live on mars within the next 30 years.

How much is SpaceX worth? In 2018 the company reported $2 billion in revenue, and they are continually improving their systems to increase profits. SpaceX is getting ready for a Mars voyage by perfecting human transportation here on earth. Their SpaceX Hyperloop will allow humans to travel via a system of sealed tubes.

Musk claims his motives are not about money or beating out the competition to become the first billionaire to successfully travel to Mars. Instead, the PayPal mogul says he is driven by the desire to help humanity overcome a catastrophic extinction event.

Of this potential future event, Musk said, “The alternative is to become a spacefaring civilization and a multi-planetary species.

Richard Branson

Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic is also developing a Hyperloop system, and that’s just the beginning of what the adventurous billionaire has in the works. Rather than planning to take elite groups of human survivors to Mars, Branson wants to make the survival of an extinction event accessible to all humans by making it possible to fly outside of our atmosphere.

So far, Virgin Galactic is off to an impressive start. Since 2018, the company has been testing flights with human pilots. Branson has said he believes it will be a matter of months and not years before he personally is able to experience flight outside of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Beyond Virgin Galactic, Branson also has other companies working on space travel, including The Spaceship Company and Virgin Orbit. Of his future chances at success, Branson said, “Space is hard—but worth it.” The billionaire believes space travel is inevitable. For him, perhaps it is.

Despite Branson’s plans to make space flight accessible to average people, at this time each trip is projected to cost over $200K. Of travel in space, the billionaire said, “This fascination with flying, breaking boundaries, and exploring the great unknown has never left me.”

Jeff Bezos

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s space company Blue Origin was founded because the billionaire believes space travel is going to be necessary if humans are going to survive into the future. At the rate we’re destroying our planet, he may be correct.

Blue Origin is the billionaire’s most important project. Of space travel Bezos said, “In order to preserve Earth, our home, for our grandchildren’s grandchildren, we must go to space to tap its unlimited resources and energy.

Bezos believes that because of his wealth he has an obligation to invest in the long-term survival of the human race because this area of research isn’t accessible to anyone except those who are in a position of extreme wealth.

Blue Origin is on a more modern timeline than the other billionaire-led space companies, however. This company expects to have humans in space within 200 years, and at the soonest in a few decades.

Bezos has mentioned how important Blue Origin is to him not just because of what can be accomplished in his lifetime, but for what is to come. “This is super important to me, and I believe on the longest time frame — and really here I’m thinking of a timeframe of a couple of hundred years, so over many decades — I believe and I get increasing conviction with every passing year, that Blue Origin, the space company, is the most important work I’m doing,” Bezos said.

As many accomplishments and advancements as these three billionaires have enjoyed, the are not the only members of the 2% in the space race. American billionaire Paul G. Allen’s Vulcan Aerospace and Russian billionaire Yuri Milner’s Breakthrough Starshot are also working on improving space exploration and travel.

Be sure to check back next week, when Rob Raskin’s Millionaire Survivalist takes an in-depth at what went wrong with the Mars One project.

Can Mars be colonized?

Learn more about Elon Musk’s plan to colonize Mars.

August 15, 2019August 15, 2019

Are Robots the Key to the Survival of the Wealthy?

If you can afford to buy robots, they may just save your life.

In the movie The Terminator, cyborg robots are the downfall of humanity. But what if Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character was as wildly off about the future of humans and robots as Governor Schwarzenegger was about his policies?

While there is some controversy over whether or not the robots would win, let’s stick to focusing on the good robotics technology can do for us right now and in the immediate future. Because in the event of a SHTF situation, that’s when we’re going to need them.

The truth is, robots could be the key to humanity’s survival in the event of an apocalyptic event—but only if you can afford them.

Robots could take over many tasks that would otherwise need to be performed by workers, but without the risk of relying upon actual humans who can steal from you or betray you. You’ll never need to worry about the loyalties of the robots who serve as your guards and other workers, because they’re programmed to do what you need them to—and nothing else.

An Overview of Robot Technology Today

Robot technology is already heavily in use for the good of mankind, both as individually and collectively.

Security Robots

Security robots are already in use in our society. Artificial intelligence technology has been developed to work together with humans to assist with security in stores. At this time, the technology is advanced enough that these robots have the ability to navigate the premises and identify problem situations.

Imagine the potential for these security robots at your bug-out location? Robots could potentially be highly armed and able to detect—and annihilate—any threat near the perimeter of your luxury bunker before it ever had the chance to get close to you, your family, or your team.

Rescue Robots

Today there are a number of robots and drones that are designed to aid in search and rescue after a disaster. There are aerial, land, and aquatic robots that can navigate autonomously to assist with dangerous search and rescue missions and the collection of data. There are also robots that can deliver medications and organs for transplant. The potential in this area is nearly limitless.

A robot that can single-handedly rescue you hasn’t been developed yet, but researchers are working on it so you can expect this in the future.

Snow Robots

Researchers at Georgia Tech are developing the SnoMote, an autonomous robot that can gather scientific data about our glaciers in icy environments humans can’t reach or tolerate. This means we’ll be able to explore areas that were previously too dangerous.

These robots are designed to navigate Arctic and Antarctic environments to help NASA researchers determine what is causing the glaciers to melt, and tests have already been successful in the Alaskan outback. Although the SnoMote already exists and is in use, the current models are merely prototypes of what we can expect from this technology in the future.

Future generations of SnoMotes are projected to be about double the size of the current robots, increasing what they’ll be able to do and the amount of data they’ll be able to collect and store.

What We Can Expect from Robots in the Future

To see into the future of robotics technology, we need only look to the current research that is being undertaken. There are robots in development now that will revolutionize this technology.

Companion Robots

There are currently many researchers working on social companion robot technology, as loneliness is a huge problem in today’s society, and studies show it can be a major contributor to poor health. Think loneliness is bad now? Wait until most of humanity is wiped out.

In the future, robots could take over many roles that are played by humans today, such as housekeeper, nanny, and even romantic partners. Robots could perform tasks like cooking and cleaning, they could help raise children, and there are even sexbots in development that could take the place of human partners in the case there are no female survivors. Or at least not where you are.

Swarm Robots

At the University of New York, researchers are investigating how multi-robot organisms that are made out of swarms of individual robots can work and evolve together. These swarm robots are also known as Symbiotic Evolutionary Robot Organisms, aka “Symbrion.”

One of the most unique facets of these robots is they will have an artificial immune system. This immune system would protect each individual robot and the collective swarm. It’ll be able to detect problems and correct them, just like our immune system works.

Here at the Millionaire Survivalist, if we had to bet our money on a certain technology leading to robot overlords, it’s this one.

Why Some Silicon Valley Millionaires Are Afraid of Robots

According to tech insiders, robots are already a threat to the future, but not because they’re capable of taking over on their own. Instead, the concern is that the combination of artificial intelligence and automation is going to lead to replacing so many human workers with robot technology that it will destroy our economy. Some even say this is going to be the next industrial revolution.

It is predicted that half the population could be out of work within the next few decades. If this triggered the collapse of society—which it most likely would—then indeed the robots will win. However, only because humanity caused it. At the very least, this scenario would most likely trigger a revolution that would be certain to cause TEOTWAWKI.

Do you think robots are potentially dangerous, or are they the key to the survival of humanity? Let me, Rob Raskin, know in the comments!

This security robot can detect weapons. Incredible!

Learn about Knightscope’s robot security guards.

August 9, 2019November 22, 2019

Drones for the One Percent

These are the world’s most expensive drones, and they’re worth every penny.

Despite their high price tag, premium drones have been selling like crazy, and it’s easy to see why the wealthiest preppers are investing in them.

Once the SHTF, there will be myriad dangers lurking outside your shelter, especially if the other survivors know what you have inside and they want it for themselves. Once people who didn’t prepare become desperate for resources, they will be ready to die and kill for them.

On top of that, in a natural disaster, terrorist, or wartime situation, there is also likely to be structural damage blocking your path. If you take the risk of trying to reach a destination, you’ll want to know whether or not it’s still standing and you are physically able to reach it before you go.

There is no better way to assess your level of risk than by sending your drone out on a reconnaissance mission instead of putting yourself and your team in harm’s way.

Why You Need a Drone for Survival

Once the grid is down, the devices most of us use for communication are going to be rendered useless. The last thing you want to do is venture outside with no idea who or what awaits you. If you want to know what’s going on in the world outside your luxury bunker, a drone will give you the bird’s eye view you’ll need to get real-time intelligence that will allow you to make informed decisions.

Drones are also essential for defending your perimeter. Your high-end drone will be among your first line of defense. It’s mobile video surveillance technology will alert you to any trespassers so you can react quickly, before they have the chance to sneak up on you. Many have long stream broadcast distance capability that will allow you to view what their cameras pick up from over 1,000 yards away.

Sending your team out on a reconnaissance mission when you could have just sent a drone instead is never worth the risk. Once you see the following drones, you’ll be looking for an excuse to invest in one—or many—anyway.

The Most Expensive Drones of 2019

Are you ready to experience the world’s most luxurious drones? If you want a drone of the very highest possible caliber, these two models are the very best that money can buy. In fact, one of them you may not be able to buy even if you can afford it.

EHang AAV 184 – $300,000

If you’re looking for a drone that is Eco-Friendly and designed with green technology that you can fly in, the EHang AAV 184 is for you. This autonomous aerial vehicle provides Medium-Short Distance communication, and it’s powered by electricity.

The owners of this passenger drone especially appreciate its fail-safe system. If anything unexpectedly goes wrong while the passenger drone is in flight, the EHang will immediately land rather than crashing. If you’ve ever had a pricey drone crash before and lost your investment as a result, you know how much that hurts. Now imagine how much worse it would be if you were inside the drone, and then you’ll understand why this is an incredible feature.

When you’re in the AAV, you’ll be connected online with a low-altitude command center. Your communication will be kept confidential, as this communication is completely encrypted. They can alert you to dangerous conditions and even prohibit you from taking off if it’s too risky. In favorable weather conditions, you can fly this passenger drone anytime, day or night.

Another thing EHang owners appreciate is the full-redundancy design. Even if one component of the power system malfunctions, this drone will continue its normal flight plan, keeping both passenger and passenger drone safe.

The EHang AAV flies in a unique inverted U shape you should never pass up the chance to experience. When you’re ready to come back down to earth, you’ll have a landing camera feature that will allow you to land safely and accurately.

Augmented AERIGON MK II + Phantom Flex4K – $250,000

The Augmented AERIGON MK II + Phantom Flex4K is one of the world’s finest camera drones. When AERIGON needed to develop a drone that could be used in conjunction with powerful equipment like the Phantom Flex4K camera, they turned to Brain Farm for help. This fantastic camera drone is the result of that collaboration.

Unlike the previous drone, this one is not electric. The AERIGON takes 45 minutes to charge, and it requires six batteries. The camera drone is capable of flying anywhere from seven to 15 minutes, and it has a signal range of up to one kilometer.

If you’re a photographer who is using drones to take your work to the next level, this is the camera drone for you because it can carry 14+ pounds of weight.

The owners of this elite camera drone appreciate having a precise level of control, thanks to its advanced stabilization system.

According to their website, this drone is no longer for sale. If you want the Aerigon, you’ll have to persuade someone who already owns one to part with it.

Learn more about the world’s most expensive drones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OwKQExoh3o

These are the best drones of 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJRyfNPTpUs

August 1, 2019August 1, 2019

Virtual Reality Can Help You Survive TEOTWAWKI

The Latest VR Technology Is a Must-Have for Serious Preppers

Who doesn’t like to buy the latest electronic gadgets? If you have the means, there is a never-ending stream of new technology available to you. One of the most exciting innovations to come out of our modern technical era is virtual reality.

Today virtual reality is being used for everything from training surgeons to the treatment of PTSD. In an episode of the show Billions, virtual reality is used to sell real estate when a group of characters use VR goggles to experience the premium amenities in a luxury doomsday facility.

Here are some other ways VR technology is being used to transform the world:

Training people to manage their pain
Helping people on the autism spectrum with social cognition
Teaching people how to manage and treat their anxiety
The development of new automobiles
Transporting museum visitors to another time or place
Crime scene evaluations for the courtroom
Job recruitment and training
Shopping
Training airline pilots

Today there are wireless devices available that you can run via your phone with a Wi-Fi connection, leading to an even more authentic experience. The computer-generated simulations that are available today are nothing short of incredible, and it is speculated that the technology is only at the midpoint of its development. What we can expect to see from this sector in the future should be nothing short of spectacular.

One way virtual reality technology is ushering the future in is through the development of haptic suits, which are also known as tactile or gaming suits. These are wearable devices that use vibrations and other sensations to make the wearer experience being able to feel and touch in the virtual world. Haptic suits are a literal game-changer, and once you’ve tried it you’ll be signing up to buy the newest technology.

Here are a four ways virtual reality can help you train to survive the apocalypse.

Virtual Bear Attack

When you find yourself face to face with a bear, the split-second decisions you make will mean life or death—for both you and the bear. Wouldn’t it be great if you could have unlimited trial runs of this situation before you retreat to a bug-out location in an area that has bears? Thanks to virtual reality, you can.

VR Training Solutions offers a VR Bear Safety Training Program that allows you to experience not only being attacked by a bear, but being attacked by the specific kind of bear that frequents your region. You can also choose other animals like cougars and coyotes. If you’re bugging-out in Alaska, you can even choose a simulated polar bear attack.

This virtual reality simulator will allow you to practice your survival skills ahead of time, with a vicious predator that can’t kill you. This will help you develop muscle memory through repeated use that can help you to act quickly and instinctively if and when the time comes and you are facing-off with a bear in the wild.

Physical and Emotional First Aid

Virtual reality programs like Bravemind and Strive are helping soldiers prepare for combat both physically and emotionally through VR-based exposure therapy. Soldiers are able to recreate scenes that include combat, first aid, the death of other soldiers, and working in a medical tent that is filled with injured soldiers. These are all scenes that could potentially be in your future after a disaster situation.

These programs don’t work by erasing traumatic memories, but rather by helping soldiers to respond differently to challenging situations on an emotional level. By allowing soldiers to experience realistic war experiences, they are learning how to develop emergency response and crisis skills that can help them cope emotionally when these situations happen in real-life.

Active Shooter

Enhanced Dynamic Geo-Social Environment, or EDGE, is a virtual reality program the U.S. Department of Homeland Security developed specifically to train teachers to manage school shooters, but it is also useful to preppers. In the wake of the collapse of society, shooters could become commonplace for a variety of reasons, so it’s best to be prepared.

EDGE allows you to develop the critical skills you’ll need to keep it together emotionally, to save yourself, to save others, and to fight back. You can also experience a shooter situation from the perspective of a responding officer. Interestingly, the game also allows you to experience the shooter’s perspective. By seeing the situation from the shooter’s perspective, you can see what they see and know what to do to protect yourself.

The engineers who designed this VR experience took details from real shootings to make sure it was as authentic as possible. As the people who have already been present at shootings know, when it comes to shooting events, you only get one chance to get it right. Who wouldn’t want to practice the skills you’ll need to survive in a safe virtual reality environment?

The Haptic suit allows you to touch and feel virtual reality.

Learn more about how VR headsets work.