BBC News 04.17.2013
Want to go to Mars? Dutch organisation Mars One says it will open applications imminently. It would be a one-way trip, and the company hopes to build a community of settlers on the planet.
Uncharted waters, mountains or far away lands have always drawn explorers. History books show that desire for adventure, even in the face of extreme danger, did not deter the likes of Columbus or Magellan.
So it is perhaps not surprising that Mars One has already received thousands of prospective applicants. But there is no return - unlike the mission which hopes to fly to Mars and back in 2018.
Future explorers take note. Applicants must be resilient, adaptable, resourceful and must work well within a team. The whole project will be televised, from the reality TV style selection process, to landing and beyond.
Dr Chris Lintott from Oxford University says that while the project is technologically plausible, he does not think they will find the funding.
"It's about having the political will and the financial muscle to make this happen. That's what nobody has been able to solve so far," he explains. "This will be the biggest thing that humanity has ever done. In 15 years people will still be watching. "Exploring our world, and now beyond is what humans do, it's in our genome. The settlers' dream of going to Mars will come true."
Whether or not the mission will achieve its goal, the publicity generated from the "big-brother" style televised application process means the world will surely be watching.
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