Mars One Narrows Applicant Pool to 1058 Potential Colonists

[Fanghawk]

Mars One Narrows Applicant Pool to 1058 Potential Colonists

Mars One will test 472 women and 586 men over the next two years in the hopes of producing 40 final candidates.

Whatever you may think of the prospects for space travel as a reality show, the Mars One project is certainly in it for the long haul. <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123486-Mars-Colonization-Mission-Now-Taking-Applications>After opening its doors to public applications last April, the not-for-profit organization compiled over 200,000 resumes from individuals seeking a one-way trip to another world. <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/130451-Mars-One-Secures-Suppliers-for-First-Private-Mars-Mission>When it wasn't securing suppliers for the upcoming mission, Mars One spent the subsequent year trimming that number to a far more reasonable sounding 1058 applicants. The selection process isn't finished yet however: Over the next two years, Mars One hopes to lower that figure further by putting the remaining candidates through physical and emotional tests, with an end goal of sending a final team to Mars by 2025.

"The next several selection phases in 2014 and 2015 will include rigorous simulations, many in team settings, with focus on testing the physical and emotional capabilities of our remaining candidates," said Mars One Chief Medical Officer Norbert Kraft. "We expect to begin understanding what is motivating our candidates to take this giant leap for humankind. This is where it really gets exciting for Mars One, our applicants, and the communities they're a part of."

The exact nature of the tests haven't yet been agreed upon, partly due "to ongoing negotiations with media companies for the rights to televise the selection process". That said, we do have some basic statistics about the remaining candidates. 472 women and 586 men from 107 countries were considered physically and mentally capable of making the journey to Mars. The majority of these applicants come from the United States and Canada, over half of whom are under the age of 35. That's not to say older candidates are being overlooked; 26 applicants are over the age of 56, the oldest of whom is 81 years old.

Assuming all goes well with its testing, Mars One hopes to separate 40 final candidates into teams that will train for an additional seven years. At that point, a global audience will vote for the team it wants on Mars for 2025.

Source: <a href=http://www.mars-one.com/news/press-releases/mars-one-announces-round-2-astronaut-selection-results>Mars One, via <a href=http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-mars-one-1058-applicants-20131231,0,3799766.story#axzz2pk2WquTo>LA Times

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[Cowabungaa]

I still can't shake the feeling that this feel extremely unreal. Television rights? Launch in 2025? Man that's soon. And today I read that more than one person affiliated with established space exploration is sceptical about all of this from the right technology becoming available to simple money issues.

It almost feels like the Ouya console. Great idea but the execution...that's a gamble. And we know how that gamble paid off with the Ouya. Only here there's human lives at stake.

 

[Daaaah Whoosh]

In 2025, that 81-year-old will be 94. I'd say he's out of the running.
Also, I can't believe that this is actually happening. These people seem far more interested in filming these colonists than they are sending them to ANOTHER PLANET.

 

[Flippincrazy]

Like most people, I'll be absolutely flabbergasted if this all goes off without a hitch. It just seems so surreal, so futuristic, and more importantly so bloody insane. But at the same time, the fact that people are dreaming about this, attempting to turn something like this into reality is at once inspiring and amazing.

Here's hoping for the 40 candidates that the people behind this have got more than dreams under their belt. Then again, the fact that people are signing up to the first one-way trip Mars entails that they probably have a death-wish, so eh.

 

[Diddy_Mao]

Dear Mars One project.

I respect that you want to complete this mission under optimal conditions. Interplanetary colonization is a major step forward for our species and it deserves to be done right.

However I put it to you that to well and truly prove your dream a viable reality you need to accept that every society is going to have unprepared shiftless layabouts who have no business doing what they have been assigned to do.

For the good of all humanity I humbly offer my services to be this social x factor.

Love
D_M

 

[mattaui]

They had my tentative support up until the part about the finalists being voted on by a global audience. That's not how you build any sort of project team, much less a groundbreaking mission to Mars.

So it's really just the big reality TV stunt that it's sounded like all along. Too bad.

 

[Jeroenr]

Doesn't wanting to go disqualify you on psychological ground?
Or at least it should.
The idea still sounds a bit insane to me.
would i watch it? no doubt.

Given that this is a TV show, how will the video/audio feed be?
Ok,they have over 10 years to improve it.
But for now, even from orbit the resolution is low and there is a noticeable lag.


And why skip some steps to go to Mars right away?
Doing a moon base makes a hell of a lot more sense.
If the people manage to not die there, you can consider Mars.

 

[Nurb]

This has to fail... the NEEDS to fail. We can't have the first human presence on another planet be a reality show and corporate sponsors!

It's an absolutely disgusting thought.

 

[Weaver]

They had my tentative support up until the part about the finalists being voted on by a global audience. That's not how you build any sort of project team, much less a groundbreaking mission to Mars.

So it's really just the big reality TV stunt that it's sounded like all along. Too bad.

I agree, this shouldn't be a an episode of survivor. It should be the best candidates being picked.

I'm also concerned as to how those candidates are going to feel about their choice 11 years from now in 2025. A lot can happen in 11 years to make a person change their mind.

 

[Pink Apocalypse]

"Lana, the penis to your vagina ratio around here is creepy enough already."

- Sterling 'The Duchess' Archer

 

[Jadak]

In 2025, that 81-year-old will be 94. I'd say he's out of the running.
Also, I can't believe that this is actually happening. These people seem far more interested in filming these colonists than they are sending them to ANOTHER PLANET.

I don't know, if he holds out long enough he could be "first man to die on Mars", might be some publicity value in that.

 

[FalloutJack]

Dear Mars One project.

I respect that you want to complete this mission under optimal conditions. Interplanetary colonization is a major step forward for our species and it deserves to be done right.

However I put it to you that to well and truly prove your dream a viable reality you need to accept that every society is going to have unprepared shiftless layabouts who have no business doing what they have been assigned to do.

For the good of all humanity I humbly offer my services to be this social x factor.

Love
D_M

They've probably got that covered.

OT: Seriously, though, I am looking forward to seeing what this leads to. It's either going to be the latest greatest exploration of humanity or a calamity in the making.

>_>

<_<

Place your bets?

 

[Avaholic03]

This has to fail... the NEEDS to fail. We can't have the first human presence on another planet be a reality show and corporate sponsors!

It's an absolutely disgusting thought.

Does it really matter how it happens? So long as it actually happens sometime in my lifetime I'll be thoroughly impressed.

 

[BoogieManFL]

The people who get sent will be there because of being voted there by an audience? That is ridiculous and a mockery of something so serious. Those people will never come back home. Everyone who goes should me meticulously chosen by a team of professionals, down the the very end.

It's really stupid and shameful to turn something this important to all of humanity into a reality show. Maybe they couldn't afford it otherwise, I dunno. Either way the concept disgusts me.

 

[Tomeran]

Its not gonna happen by 2025. I'll litterly eat my socks if it happens by then. Maybe by 2050, once Mars has already been settled a few times over.

Its not just a matter of money, its about technological achievements. NASA barely manages to land rovers on Mars, most nations can barely place satellites beyond the orbit of the moon, and these people think they can just host a reality TV show on Mars if they're well-funded?

Colonization of Mars is possible, but you need -amazing- technological expertise and experience, NASA-grade at the very least, and so much money that it could cover the annual budget of a small nation.

That's not to mention the colossal risk factor of all the things that could go wrong. Only the most crazy billionares and companies would even remotely consider sponsoring it, and even then even fewer would probably donate enough money for it to matter.

This isnt a project where you can cut corners or "maximize profits by minimizing spending". It isnt exactly cheap to build a spaceship capable of transporting colonists to Mars.
And most companies of the big-enough-size to matter as a sponsor take the risk factor in the highest regard. So yeah.

As for the voting procedure: Its a reality TV show. It barely tried to hide itself from being anything different. "Non-profit" my arse. The global population gets to vote on COLONISTS TO MARS! Rarely has a clearer case of media-based insanity existed.

 

[Nurb]

This has to fail... the NEEDS to fail. We can't have the first human presence on another planet be a reality show and corporate sponsors!

It's an absolutely disgusting thought.

Does it really matter how it happens? So long as it actually happens sometime in my lifetime I'll be thoroughly impressed.

Yes, of course it matters. One of the defining moments of human history should not be a game show covered in mountain dew and doritos stickers.

 

[CriticalMiss]

In 2025, that 81-year-old will be 94.

*does maths*

Don't you mean they will be 92? 93 at the oldest depending on the dates.

I'm beginning to think this is an elaborate hoax for a reality TV show where they pretend to send people to Mars but they are really on a TV set and just mess with them. Like the Truman Show but on Mars.

 

[kurokotetsu]

Yeah. Whatever. THeir numbers do not work. THey are expecting to have better retunrning and more audience than the Olympics to pull this off. Not going to happen. Reduce it, do whatever you want. But this is won't work.

This has to fail... the NEEDS to fail. We can't have the first human presence on another planet be a reality show and corporate sponsors!

It's an absolutely disgusting thought.

Does it really matter how it happens? So long as it actually happens sometime in my lifetime I'll be thoroughly impressed.

Yes, of course it matters. One of the defining moments of human history should not be a game show covered in mountain dew and doritos stickers.

SHould it be covered in the colours of a nation made of arbitrary borders?

While I agree that it shouldn't be a coorporate sponsored thing, I don't see that to be much worse than having a flag associated with it. But then again I'm very anti-nationalistic.