So who wants to fly to Mars... one way?

[bevischief]

So who wants to fly to Mars... one way? Mission for volunteers receives over 1,000 applications from budding astronauts before it was even announced

Dutch firm plans reality TV show to choose its team
Plans to land four astronauts on the red planet in 2023, with four more arriving every two years

By Mark Prigg

PUBLISHED: 12:53 EST, 9 January 2013 | UPDATED: 08:56 EST, 10 January 2013


To boldly go where no man has gone before is quite a challenge.

But to boldly go knowing that you will never return to Earth may be asking a bit too much.

This has not deterred a Dutch-led research institute, however, which has launched a search for volunteers to take part in a one-way mission to Mars... where they would set up a human settlement.
Successful candidates will have to undergo eight years of training before blast-off in 2023.

The Mars One Institute pulled no punches yesterday: ‘They should realise that if this project is successful, they won’t be coming back.’

Former NASA researcher Norbert Kraft, Mars One’s medical director, said: ‘Gone are the days when bravery and the number of hours flying a supersonic jet were the top criteria for selection.

'Now, we are more concerned with how well each astronaut works and lives with the others – and for a lifetime of challenges ahead.’

Mars One aims to raise money to help fund the project through a long-running, global, reality TV show, which will select the first 24 candidates and follow their training.

Viewers would vote for who should be on the first team of four to leave Earth in ten years time. By 2033 the colony would reach 20 settlers.

Journey time to Mars, which is approximately 40million miles away depending on its position in orbit, would be around 200 days.

Settlers would encounter a barren, cratered landscape, an unbreathable atmosphere made up of 95 per cent carbon dioxide and temperatures ranging from 35C to minus 135C.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...lications.html

[Reerun_KC]

that is cool

[Steron]

Pass.

[RealSNR]

I say we send up all the fans who want to draft a tackle at #1.

[the Talking Can]

tittahs

[ptlyon]

Suddenly an episode of Archer breaks out...

[EagleRob]

My kids are prohibited from even thinking about this.

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by SNR

I say we send up all the fans who want to draft a tackle at #1.

only if we can send a copy of left behind with them, so they can be..well ya know.

[crossbow]

No thanks.

[doomy3]

Is there a way to do it cheaper if we sit through a timeshare presentation?

[EagleRob]

Episode 1: Tear-filled families of volunteers say their goodbyes along with one surprised wife who didn't know her husband volunteered and is abandoning their family of five.

Episode 2: in low earth orbit, the crew transfers to the interplanetary space vehicle (presumably constructed on orbit) and just after the Trans-Martian Injection Burn to leave Earth one of the passengers freaks out "first night Shawshank style" then has to be restrained by the other passengers to keep him from opening the airlock to try to float back to Earth.

From the same people that brought you Amsterdam, this is going to be TV gold!

[penguinz]

Do they pay the people money ahead of time that will be going or do they just go for free and screw over their loved ones?

[BigCatDaddy]

I don't like their chances.

[DaFace]

Though it seems crazy at first glance, it's not entirely unprecedented from a historical standpoint. Early explorers often went into it knowing that they would most likely never return.

That said...I think I'll pass.

[bishop_74]

You could send the Aurora Theater shooter.