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Want to be a space pioneer? Not much tying you to planet Earth? Apply today and blast off for Mars! Yes, you really could be one of the first humans to set foot on the Red Planet, as Mars One is genuinely looking for new astronauts, and anyone anywhere can apply. Where do I sign up?
The non-profit Netherlands-based Mars One is seeking a legion of applicants; anyone who fits the pretty basic requirements is wanted. The idea is that it’ll begin the selection process in the first half of this year, with contestants potential astronauts whittled down into at least six teams of four, through a combination of votes from ‘a global televised programme’ and a team of experts. Big Brother with a purpose, then, basically. Entrants will need:
“A deep sense of purpose, willingness to build and maintain healthy relationships, the capacity for self-reflection and ability to trust. They must be resilient, adaptable, curious, creative and resourceful.”
Of course, this is a one-way trip, so you’ll also need either a deep loathing of Earth, or have nothing to live for here. After at least eight years of training, only one of the six teams will make it, blasting off from our humble rock towards the Red Planet in September 2022. Subsequent four-man teams will be sent at two-year intervals to join the deep-space survivors.
The interesting thing is that apparently Mars One will start hurling equipment, supplies, and rovers to Mars in 2016, so I guess we’ll see whether the whole plan really comes together then.
If a one-way trip to Mars sounds like your bag, click here for details. Just don’t expect your 4G phone to work out there, OK? [Mars One via Wired]
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Why would anyone do this? I mean I love space as much as the next sci-fi nerd. But I can’t fathom what kind of person would go through 8 years of training only to spend the rest of their lives living on a baron rock with only a handful of other people for company.
http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/27/fcc13ddd83c568980d16107b1f516b16/l.jpg
That’s why
It’d be alright if you could just do a shift, then blast back to Earth.
Because you get to go on a SPACE SHIP to MARS!
*Hides application form from wife*
I really want to go I can’t explain why but I’d be more than up for this.
only a 1in6 chance to boot.
Read the next sentence.
“Subsequent four-man teams will be sent at two-year intervals to join the deep-space survivors.”
The “survivors”? That gives this an intensely morbid tone!
yeah, it isn’t clear whether the subsequent teams come from the original set. anyway, you’d have wait an additional two years each time.
To seek a meaning to our lives. I love my family, I love my friends and I like my job, but sometimes life does seem a little meaningless. Most of us will just fade away into the dark corners of history. But going to Mars? Whether you survive or not, you can be damn well sure that your name is going to be recorded in history books. And if things go well, you might even get to name new chunks of land after yourself.
I think the novelty of going down in history would wear off after year 25 stuck in a tin can with little to do.
Heh maybe you could say that if ‘doing something’ meant sitting on my arse on a couch or computer chair looking at cat pictures all day, but I’ll be establishing a new freaking society with all its attendant needs. There will be stuff to do.
Plus, a whole new planet to explore and bend to human will
If there’s one thing I’d miss that would mess with my head though, its a big blue sky. Wikipedia says the Martian sky is blue close to the sun at sunrise and sunset, and given, we don’t get much blue sky here in ol’ Blighty anyway. But the thought of spending the rest of my life under a butterscotch coloured sky is pretty off-putting
Think, you could be the first person to have sex on mars! If I didnt have a daughter I would so be up for this!
ghaztehschmexeh – you realise there was a war over the Falklands. a smaller more barren rock?
if i wasnt a dad i would take plenty of weed and some seeds and live a chilled life up there. wonder if it gets netflix?
I’m in, although a handful might make it a bit crowded.
I’ll do it, but I’m going to need that 1TB USB stick for pr0n.
Like living on the Shetland islands
“maintain healthy relationships”
so, someone willing to give up all earthbound relationships in order to forge new ones with random strangers. hmm.
Well I don’t really like living on Earth all that much but I don’t think I could live without internet access. Plus being on Earth does have some benefits which Mars probably doesn’t (there is a good atmosphere here)
i don’t mind doing it, that is if i team with 3 hot girls…
3 hot, angry lesbians.
You will, guaranteed, grow tired of fucking those same 3 girls for the rest of your life when you live in a depressing 200 square meter box in a frozen hostile desert.
In fact, I think the novelty will have worn off before you even arrive at Mars.
Sorry to spoil the fantasy
Guessing you’re not married otherwise you wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss 3 ladies
I’m not, but I’d have thought a married man would understand very well how the novelty can wear off
I can’t possibly comment
I don’t know. I’m in doubt between applying to Mars One or enlist to the army and go Afganistan. The army guy told me I could achieve great accomplishments helping to build a democracy in Afganistan, but starting a new life as one of the first settlers on Mars sounds also great! Such hard decision…
Building democracy in Afghanistan? I would rather take my chances in living on Mars, thank you.
Haha! Indeed!
i agree. you wont do fuck all over in the middle east, bar maybe lose limbs or your life. at least with this you might be one of the first people to colonise a planet.
I was trying to be ironic. Maybe I failed to make it apparent
I think we were all just playing along
Oh, ok then. I’m still working on getting the underlines of brit humour.
“Mars Colonists Wanted — Apply Here” – misleading headline, you have to go elsewhere to apply. I was all fired up to do it too, but can’t be arsed to click on another link.
I am a bit concerned about the decision to not pick professionals. This is a high risk mission where you can guarantee that something will go wrong. It’s almost like they are looking for expendables… though I suppose that eight years of training is enough to whip the team into shape, not to mention the extra 10 years of training the last team to leave will get.
Another point to note is that there is a very high chance that the volunteers will some sort of social or mental issues. As stated this is a one way trip. Once you left Earth (I suppose you can still back out at the very last minute), you are not going to see anyone other than your team for the rest of your life. It will take someone who is really unsatisfied with his future prospects to make this decision.
Privately funded space mission with publicly chosen crew – Crossing X-Prize with X-Factor – what could go wrong?
Using professionals would be a waste – It’d be like shooting a handful of brilliant minds.
Using human guinea pigs are a little unethical though. We didn’t send civilians up into orbit in the early days of the space programme.
It’s this kind of approach to crew-selection that got ‘Prometheus’ in so much trouble….
dont see any space cobras and say ‘oooh, hello gorgeous’
wasn’t there a stitch up tv show that whittled down the selection process to a few very gullible candidates and then fooled them into thinking they were in a real spaceship being flown to the moon?
you thinking of this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Cadets_(TV_series)
OMG. I can’t believe that’s even legal in the first place.
i guess they waived all rights in some contract.
My; April has come round mighty early this year!
I’d so do this if there was good internet access but as it is I’ll have to pass