The Martian Manifest was first drafted at the beginning of the 21st century by a leading group of scientists of different fields, all members of the Mars Society. It was an attempt to write down all the questions involving Mars colonization. Now everybody who wants to set foot on Mars first has to read the manifest, and in addition has to write a summary explaining why he or she wants to set foot on Mars, as part of the Freedom Balance Experiment.

It are the questions which are important to keep humanity alive and well. Of course scientists wrote comments on the manifest. They are recommended reading, but all the same, the manifest forms the heart. Everyone for himself has to think about the questions and find his own answers.

Nothing is said about how a person has to live his or her life on Mars, which religion he or she has to profess, only questions.

Famous philosophers helped with this manifest and numerous subjects like terraforming are discussed. Terraforming is of course the nucleus of Mars colonization, everything turns on this: should we or shouldn't we change Mars into a fertile planet, full of life? The manifest cannot give an unambiguous answer to this question. It can only discuss the biggest pro's and con's so everybody can make up his own mind.

Social questions:
How will society on Mars evolve?
Do people want to earn money on Mars and spend it?
How do you prevent a [cold] war between Terraformers and anti-Terraformers?
Will Mars be available to everybody on Earth in the future?
Will an independance movement arise?
How do you prevent terrorism from reaching Mars?
Crime on Mars, do you have to kick the people of the planet?
Do people keep their nationality on Mars?
When something is invented or discovered on Mars, does that invention or discovery belong to the whole of humanity?

Personal questions:
Why do people want to go to Mars?
What do they expect from life?
Will people want to ask for political asylum on Mars?
Will people want to have children on Mars?
What if a person is homesick and wants to return to Earth?

Scientific questions:
Is the radiation dose on Mars lethal, or in any way lifetime reducing?
Should we use nuclear devices as a terraforming method?
Are people linked to the Earth and the moon by cycles, like the menstrual cycle and how will that effect life on Mars?

Religious questions:
Does religion has anything to do with humans going to Mars?
How do the different religions look at a habitated Mars?
When people die on Mars, where should they be buried?
Will churches, mosques and other places of worship be build on Mars?
Will the enormous distance from Mekka keep Muslims from moving to Mars?
Will there eventually arise a new truely Martian religion?