What Mars can Give Earth
And how a DAO can help
Last week, a friend and I pressed publish on a new project.
We realized when we published this how crazy this project will look to most people. Why pool capital to purchase something that can’t be purchased for years? (If ever) Why focus on Mars when there are so many other problems on Earth?
Even among those in tech/crypto, there is a well worn skepticism when it comes to projects that look too pie in the sky. We’re also in a bear market, some of the rosy eyed visions for Web3/DAOs have come crashing back to reality. There’s a real question about whether this scene is mostly good at producing exotic JPG casinos or whether the immense wealth and talent in crypto can translate into something more fundamental for the internet.
Some of the reaction was what we thought we were going to get:
However, some Tweets and DMs were more encouraging.
We wrote about the why for Mars last week but even among those sold on going to Mars, there are open questions about why to focus on Mars now? And what a DAO can really contribute to the mission in the near term.
This is a list of our current answers about what Mars can give Earth and why this will be a fun DAO.
Why We’re Excited about a DAO for Mars
The dream for Mars is in our bones.
Ever since we landed on the Moon we’ve known Mars is the next leap. Sending rovers and satellites to the planet is great for research but will never satisfy the itch to put boots in the dust.
Mars is a powerful frame for thinking about the future even if we never land on Mars.
Mars is ~30 million miles away and is the closest thing we have to a new world in 2033. If Mars is a symbol for the new world, what dreams do we have for the new world? A DAO can help prompt, cultivate, and reward responses that take a deep dive into that question.
The tech required to get to Mars is closer than it’s ever been but some of the most exciting parts of this aren’t about the tech.
A trip to Mars requires a huge amount of capital and sign off from governments of the world. Once the task of getting there is tangible, a host of new questions arise. Who gets to go first? What qualities are we looking for to start the colony? What happens when they land? What happens when multiple colonies form? What allegiance do the colonies have to the groups that sent them? All of these questions need to be explored and an independent internet org can help accelerate and structure these conversations.
Elon has dominated the conversation around Mars and it’s going to get stale if it’s mostly him.
He’s done more to make the Mars dream real than anyone on the planet but there’s so much more to this dream than the transportation required to leave the planet.
NASA is overly cautious and unlikely to move without public pressure.
It’s been 50+ years since Apollo and we still don’t have a mission plan on the books for Mars. They have plenty of explorations and more rovers planned for 2030s but nothing that incorporates Starship.
If NASA won’t move fast enough to Mars, we’re going to need to develop a backup option with other nations, corporations and investors.
There’s a reason some of the most famous and successful expeditions have been privately funded.
The Nouns daily auction system is a proven mechanic to pool and deploy capital that could work really well here
This isn’t a DAO to make complex software that requires a lot of centralization and coordination. It’s a DAO to make waves in the zeitgeist that change hearts and minds. Ideas on how to do this can come from anywhere and the DAO provides an invitation for people to come out of the woodwork.
Many people will think this is ridiculous and that’s ok.
On its face, selling tickets to win something that isn’t even possible yet meets every criteria of being a scam, but that’s also the schtick. This is designed to attract earnest believers of this dream. The nature of the daily auction model means that we can slowly attract these backers, then it’s on the team and members to make a splash with how that capital is deployed.
We're at the very beginning of the space tourism industry and talent/interest is pouring in.
Blue Origin is regularly sending ships to low orbit, costs to get to orbit are falling, and the first commercial flight around The Moon is planned for this year.
One of us is going to Mars
Buying a commercial ticket to Mars is a tangible challenge with a clear ending. Pulling it off will take energy and patience over many years but it involves a dream that everyone on Earth can understand. Of all the moonshot causes the crypto world could go in on, it’s hard to think of one more fascinating than one that makes “moonshot,” a dated term.
Last week’s launch was the soft launch. Before we launch a formal DAO we’re absorbing feedback on the structure of the project and putting together a group who’s animated by the mission. Similar to how Nouns has “Nounders” (their initializing board), we’re doing the same and looking to add a few strategic partners.
If you’re interested in any of the above, we’d love to hear from you. Follow our telegram channel for drops, join our homebase, or reach out directly.
Also, special shoutout and thanks to all who minted the free open edition and made their RSVP to Mars. 260 have been minted so far! The mint closes Thursday.
thanks again you to all who've given feedback on this project. @jondotbo, @DnlKlr, @chasews, @thattallguy, @joshcrnls, @matdryhurst, @HipCityReg, @tmincey, @DonCald, @the_carlosdp, @jeremymims, @vikkiinguyen, @caro, @JDel, @TimshelXYZ, @ScottBeale, and @Leigh_Christie