Space

In two weeks, Mars One receives over 78,000 applications for one-way trip to Mars

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Mars One has received over 78,000 applications from people wanting to be the first to settle another planet
Mars One has received over 78,000 applications from people wanting to be the first to settle another planet
Quarters will be cosy on Mars
The modular habitation pods
The all-important greenhouse
The compact, yet functional habitation for Mars
The modular habitation pods
Mars has plenty of room for expansion
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Despite the one-way nature of the trip, it seems there’s no shortage of people willing to pack their bags and experience life on Mars. Just two weeks after putting out the call for potential Mars settlers, Mars One had received over 78,000 applications from people in over 120 countries. With the application period set to last 19 weeks, the Mars One selection committees face a daunting task in whittling the numbers down to the four individuals that will ultimately make the journey that is planned for September 2022.

The USA was far and away the source of the greatest number of applicants with 17,324 willing to leave the land of the free behind for a taste of the Red Planet. It was followed by China with 10,241 and the UK a distant third with 3,581. Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Argentina and India rounded out the top 10.

“Mars One is a mission representing all humanity and its true spirit will be justified only if people from the entire world are represented. I’m proud that this is exactly what we see happening,” said Mars One Co-Founder and CEO, Bas Lansdorp.

The online application process will continue until August 31st 2013, when Mars One hopes to have attracted half a million applicants, who are all required to submit a one-minute video explaining their reasons for wanting to go to Mars. Applicants can choose to make their videos public on the Mars One applicant website along with a brief profile.

While the public can rate the applicants, the final decision on who makes it through to round two will be made by “Mars One experts.” The company says, “no particular academic or professional background in considered a prerequisite for selection,” however, resilience, adaptability, curiosity, the ability to trust others, and creativity/resourcefulness are all considered compulsory character traits.

Round two will see regional reviewers selecting 50 to 100 candidates from each of the 300 geographic regions identified by Mars One. The 28 to 40 applicants who manage to make it past round four, which is due to conclude in 2015, will then undergo seven years of training to give them the skills required not only for establishing a settlement on Mars, but also for the seven-month journey there.

So if you’re interested, there’s still plenty of time to get your application in via the source link below. But be aware, applicants are required to pay an administration fee. In an effort to make the program accessible to people from all nations, the fee will vary across nations according to their gross domestic product (GDP).

Source: Mars One

Update (May 8, 2013): The article originally stated that payment of the administration fee was required after the second round. This was an error. The fee is required up front when submitting the initial application. We apologize for any misunderstanding.

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21 comments
Hugh Mcbroom
"Round two will see regional reviewers selecting 50 to 100 candidates from each of the 300 geographic regions identified by Mars One. At this point, applicants will be required to pay an administration fee. "
I just made an account on the mars one website and it seems they want you to pay a $33 USD admin fee before you can do anything at all with the account.
This seems more and more like a scam to me.
Richard Unger
That's 78,000 dumb stupid people. With the technology available today they won't get there alive. A waste of time, it'll happen in the future but not the near future. I'm 56 and it won't happen in my lifetime.
David Clarke
Basically, there are 78,000 people who are prepared to pay for the privilege of committing suicide, either on the way to Mars, if anything goes wrong, or when their oxygen or food runs out at their base camp.
These are desperate people (this reminds me of young men joining the American military, but at least there is a chance that they might make it back home)
D0Sb00t
Wow - some early morning Negative Nancies here. The first pioneers faced terrible odds and many hardships, but we'd never advance without people willing to take that uncertain but exciting step forward.
As to the application fee - per person it's not much money (for the employed), and these folks will need more funds than they probably currently have - I'm supposing here of course - and this is one way to get it. I think you two first posters need to try to think in more positive ways. You clearly are NOT cut out to engage in this type of activity, so don't worry and complain so much. Even if it's a bad deal or a scan, it's not going to affect you.
Meanwhile, the rest of us who don't get to go will continue to follow this story with great interest.
yinfu99
I think its a great idea but not enough. Why just four people? To those who say we dont have the tech to survive on Mars are wrong. We have more than enough tech to go and live there, its just going to take planning, and making sure there are multiple options for food, water, atmosphere etc, that can be found or made on Mars. Build enough systems to cover the means to live, and have back up systems, and ways to create or fix systems around so people there can use them, its not that hard. Its not like a camping trip where you pack what you think you will need and dont plan. Plan like you are going to stay there, and without outside assistance.
citizenchan
I wish Gizmag would stop reporting on this scam. It's unrealistic and the plan was stolen word for word from a book written in 2010. This is a scam at it's finest - Make outrageous promises, ask for money to participate, with no actual item of value in exchange, and when the scheme starts to crumble, say "Oops sorry, we couldn't follow though." You can say "Sayoonara" to the $2.5 million they've already made from, literally, a website with some pictures on it.
Astro Rosaire
It sounds like the people that look down on this project are not familiar with the current technology status of space systems. We have the technology (granted, not the integrated systems) TODAY to go to Mars. We had better propulsion systems back in the early 70s (NERVA). So don't any of you dare speak of something in which you hold no merit and cannot add value. It's because of negative Nancy boys (rather a lack of leadership and a spine in congress really) such as yourselves that we are stuck in this quandary of space exploration. Please keep your negative comments to yourself. Although, I do call into question the final price for one mission, at 6B, it's far more likely to cost 2 to 3 times as much, but it's still possible.
Griffin
I can't help but wonder how many people would actually load up and then how many would get cold feet before they were even a week out.
78,000 x $33= $2,574,000
Do the Math....
hellno187
Griffin, $2,574,000 is a drop in the bucket to final costs on an endeavor such as this. DOSb00t, couldn't agree with you more I find it quite intriguing myself and there's way too much negativity. As for getting people to fully commit, people blow themselves up for a religious war, without a doubt someone will go to Mars for exploration.
Hugh Mcbroom
Just to clarify, i am fully aware of our current technology and our capacity to make a colony on mars but i am being realistic, how is this company going to get the literally billions of dollars when they do not have a sound business plan?
And to get every one to pay a $33 fee before they can do anything at all makes me think they are just out to make a quick buck. I am a massive sci fi fan who really wish's this thing was real but there are way to many black holes in this companies planning for me to think so.