200,000 people applied to join a human settlement on Mars

12/09/2013. [VIDEO] by Mars One
metalocus, INÉS LALUETA, CANDELA OLIVA

On Monday the first round of the Mars One Astronaut Selection Program closed their first call for volunteer astronauts and more than 200,000 people from 140 countries have applied for a one-way ticket to join a human settlement on the red planet, Mars.

Mars One, human settlement. Image by Bryan Versteeg, Mars One.

Mars One, human settlement. Image by Bryan Versteeg, Mars One.

Leisure area. Mars One, human settlement. Image by Bryan Versteeg, Mars One.

Farmer area. Mars One, human settlement. Image by Bryan Versteeg, Mars One.

Mars One, human settlement. Image by Bryan Versteeg, Mars One.

Overview. Mars One, human settlement. Image by Bryan Versteeg, Mars One.

Mars One, human settlement. Image by Bryan Versteeg, Mars One.

A project halfway between reality and a bit of Disneyland, Mars One is a non-government, private organization whose intent is to establish a human settlement on Mars through the integration of existing, readily available technologies from industry leaders worldwide. In 2011, the founding members came together to develop a strategic plan for taking humanity to Mars.

After securing the first investments and commissioning the first conceptual design study in 2012, Mars One was ready to launch its Astronaut Selection Program. It was launched at press conferences in New York and Shanghai in April 2013. In five months the organisation received 202,586 application videos from people across the world. The selection program proceeds with three additional rounds over the course of two years. At the end of it around six teams of four individuals are selected for training. A new batch of the Astronaut Selection Program begins every year to replenish the training pool regularly. An analogue of the Mars habitat is to be constructed on Earth for technology testing and training purposes.

Suzanne Flinkenflögel, Mars One Director of Communications in the Netherlands, will give a conference next month at the event TEDxRetiro in Madrid.

Date: 26th October 2013.
Place: TEDxRetiro. Teatros del Canal. C/ Cea Bermúdez, 1 - 28003 Madrid.

The first permanent human settlement on Mars in 2023 has proposed that humans will live in a modular environment made up of multiple inflatable units. The project would comprise 1000 m³ of living units; over 50 m² per person, and a total of more than 200 m² combined interior space, a total of 250 m³ per person for a team of four. The colony would live inside 'lander' living units that each feature an inflatable living section. The landers would be installed by roaming rovers and be filled with breathable air from a life support unit before the humans arrive.

The press release from Mars One is below:

Over 200,000 apply to first ever recruitment for Mars settlement

Amersfoort, 9th September 2013 - The first round of the Mars One Astronaut Selection Program has now closed for applications. During the 5 month application period, Mars One received interest from 202,586 people from around the world, wanting to be amongst the first human settlers on Mars.

Mars One applicants come from over 140 countries; the largest numbers are from the United States (24%), India (10%), China (6%), Brazil (5%), Great Britain (4%), Canada (4%), Russia (4%), Mexico (4%), Philippines (2%), Spain (2%), Colombia (2%), Argentina (2%), Australia (1%), France (1%), Turkey (1%), Chile (1%), Ukraine (1%), Peru (1%), Germany (1%), Italy (1%) and Poland (1%).

From this applicant pool, the Mars One Selection Committee will select prospective Martian settlers in three additional rounds spread across two years. By 2015, six-ten teams of four individuals will be selected for seven years of full-time training. In 2023, one of these teams will become the first humans ever to land on Mars and live there for the rest of their lives.

The current applicants will be screened by the Mars One Selection Committee. This process is expected to take several months. Candidates selected to pass to the next round will be notified by the end of 2013. The second round of selection will start in 2014, where the candidates will be interviewed in person by a Mars One Selection Committee.

Aspiring Martians who have missed Round 1 or could not meet the age restriction can join subsequent Astronaut Selection Programs. Mars One will commence regular recruitment programs as the search for follow-up crews continues.

Text.- Mars One.