April 1st, 2008del.icio.us Digg Reddit StumbleUpon
Virgin/Google's Mission to Mars: Virgle
Written by Fraser Cain
Set your April jokes on fool, dear reader because it's April 1st. That means there'll be a non-stop barrage of April Fools Jokes coming at you from all directions. We had to join in the fun, but we're not the only ones. Check out this "offering" from Virgin Galactic and Google. They're going to be setting up a colony on Mars and they're looking for volunteers. You've got to know it's serious because Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page make the offer personally. I like how they mentioned the one-way trip idea. Is someone reading Universe Today?
And Branson's version is here:
Filed under: Planet News, Space Exploration
April 1st, 2008 at 12:35 pm
So are they joking or not? If so, how retarded. If no, awesome. Human Mars exploration should be taken very seriously. If its a joke, and something like ten million people send them a video, what a giant waste of time it wouldve all been.
I suppose when I woke up today I shouldve had my senses a little better to me on this mother-of-all-non-holidays.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Damn, I think they kept the joke going for longer than the Universe Today April Fools - my inbox was full of friend emails telling me how amazing Virgil is… I hate breaking bad news…
In response to Emission, yes it's a joke, but don't confuse this with lack of interest or poking fun. I am actually overjoyed to see two big international companies talking about manned exploration of the solar system, albeit as a joke. It is obviously a subject worth talking about, and if it's being talked about in the circles of Virgin and Google with hundreds of billions of dollars (pounds!) between them, perhaps someone in their ranks will give it some thought.
I can't see colonization of Mars being funded in any other way apart from private enterprise, perhaps this is a good start to breaking the ice?
Who knows, it might be the biggest anti-April Fools gag of our time. They might start thinking about this and have the next incarnation of Virgle started this time next year!
Here's to hoping anyway…
April 1st, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Well lets hope
Bravo on this website BTW Ian. I read it everyday. You release space news long before any other site that I read. Plus, you write about things that I hadnt even thought of. I will read everyday. Well, everyday that my internet is turned on 
Emission Nebula
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:38 pm
I've there is lot of support to send the current President on this mission and several members of his adminstration as well.
April 5th, 2008 at 11:32 am
I believe we SHOULD send George W. Bush, Leiberman (from Connecticut), and all the other fools on a ONE-WAY trip to Mars!
Perhaps send the idiots from Enron, Global Crossing, Tyco, and WorldCom there as well. I would be interested in the outcome of such an expediation! If these ex-executives take their brain energy from figuring out how to "cook the books", and figure out a way to survive on Mars, that ought to be interesting!
Fire up that rocket!