David Bowie once sang “Is there life on Mars?” and now there’s a chance for you to make it happen. But would you really want to get out of town and go to Mars one way? A Dutch organization called Mars One says it will open applications imminently and once accepted there’s no turning back. This trip is a one-way with absolutely no return, and the company hopes to build a community of settlers on the planet.Throughout history distant lands have always attracted explorers and so it is perhaps not surprising that Mars One has already received thousands of prospective applicants. You might feel at home on that planet because Scientists believe Earth and Mars once had similar atmospheres. Mars however is not for sun worshipers as it’s extremely cold up there and any water is frozen or hidden under rocks. As to the type of applicant they are looking for: They say those considered must be resilient, adaptable, resourceful, and work well within a team. Naturally, the whole project will be televised, (isn’t everything?) from the selection process, to landing and beyond. How they will get the images back remains to be seen. Speaking to the BBC’s London, Mars One’s co-founder Bas Lansdorp explained that the flight is one-way because, “during the seven-to-eight month journey, astronauts will lose bone and muscle mass. After spending time on Mars’ much weaker gravitational field, it would be almost impossible to readjust back to Earth’s much stronger gravity.” says Landsorp. Successful applicants will be trained physically and psychologically and the team will use existing technology for all aspects of the project. Energy will be generated from solar panels, water will be recycled and extracted from soil and the astronauts will grow their own food – they will also have an emergency ration and regular top-ups as new explorers join every two years. Yet, some people are advising that this trip may not be the chance of a lifetime it is made out to be. “The Martian surface is therefore extremely hostile to life” says Dr Veronica Bray, from the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, who is sceptical about the project. “There’s no liquid water, the atmospheric pressure is “practically a vacuum”, radiation levels are higher and temperatures vary wildly.” she said.”Radiation exposure is a concern, especially during the trip. This can lead to increased cancer risk, a lowered immune system and possibly infertility.” So maybe this trip of a lifetime is something you want to think about? Or maybe just stay on earth. Let’s face it you can always leave but what if you could never come back?
