Thousands of people have applied to take part in a reality television show set on Mars. Were you one of them? Tell us why you applied to set up the first human colony on Mars
More than 165,000 people from 140 countries have applied for a one-way ticket to Mars in the hope of establishing the first permanent human colony.
The Mars One project will cost £4bn and hopes to recoup the cost in part by selling broadcasting rights: "This mission to Mars can be the biggest media event in the world," said Paul Römer, the co-creator of Big Brother and ambassador of the project, on the website. "Reality meets talent show with no ending and the whole world watching. Now there's a good pitch."
By 2015, 40 candidates will start their eight-year training programme where they will learn to deal with long periods of isolation. Only four people will make it through and be sent to Mars with more people joining every two years.
The Mars One website states that a return "cannot be anticipated nor expected" because of the physiological and technical challenges involved.
Mars's surface gravity is 38% of that on Earth, which would cause changes in bone density, muscle strength and circulation so much so that voyagers would no longer be able to survive in Earth's conditions. The astronauts would also need a fully assembled and fuelled rocket, on-board life support systems capable of up to a seven-month voyage and the capacity either to dock with a space station orbiting Earth or perform a safe re-entry and landing.
Would you be able to cope with the possibility of not seeing your friends and family again? Do you want to get as far away from Earth, on average about 140m miles (225m km), as possible?
Tell us why you applied for the once-in-a-lifetime trip by filling in the form below. We'll feature a selection of applicants on the site. Reported by guardian.co.uk 5 hours ago.
More than 165,000 people from 140 countries have applied for a one-way ticket to Mars in the hope of establishing the first permanent human colony.
The Mars One project will cost £4bn and hopes to recoup the cost in part by selling broadcasting rights: "This mission to Mars can be the biggest media event in the world," said Paul Römer, the co-creator of Big Brother and ambassador of the project, on the website. "Reality meets talent show with no ending and the whole world watching. Now there's a good pitch."
By 2015, 40 candidates will start their eight-year training programme where they will learn to deal with long periods of isolation. Only four people will make it through and be sent to Mars with more people joining every two years.
The Mars One website states that a return "cannot be anticipated nor expected" because of the physiological and technical challenges involved.
Mars's surface gravity is 38% of that on Earth, which would cause changes in bone density, muscle strength and circulation so much so that voyagers would no longer be able to survive in Earth's conditions. The astronauts would also need a fully assembled and fuelled rocket, on-board life support systems capable of up to a seven-month voyage and the capacity either to dock with a space station orbiting Earth or perform a safe re-entry and landing.
Would you be able to cope with the possibility of not seeing your friends and family again? Do you want to get as far away from Earth, on average about 140m miles (225m km), as possible?
Tell us why you applied for the once-in-a-lifetime trip by filling in the form below. We'll feature a selection of applicants on the site. Reported by guardian.co.uk 5 hours ago.