It’s a bizarre world! At least 10,000 people, both men and women have applied for a one-way trip to Mars planned by a Dutch Company, even though there is no guarantee of returning to Earth.
The company plans to send four astronauts on a one-way trip to Mars to set up a human colony on the Red Planet in 2023.
However, the company Mars One on its website has specified that a return “cannot be anticipated nor expected“.
The project has already received 10,000 applicants, according to the Company’s Medical Director, Norbert Kraft.
Age seems to be no bar as the applicants so far range from 18 to 62 years. Though they include women, most of them are men.
The reasons the applicants gave for wanting to go were varied, Kraft told the Guardian.
Though Mars One is optimistic about its plan, however, there are a few serious snags in the way, the report said.
Firstly, when on Mars the bodies of the astronauts will have to adapt to surface gravity that is 38 per cent of that on Earth.
It is thought that this would cause such a total physiological change in their bone density, muscle strength and circulation that voyagers would no longer be able to survive in Earth’s conditions.
Secondly, they will have to say goodbye to all their family and friends, as the deal does not include a return ticket.
To return, they would need a fully assembled and fuelled rocket capable of escaping the gravitational field of Mars, on-board life support systems capable of up to a seven-month voyage and the capacity either to dock with a space station orbiting Earth or perform a safe re-entry and landing.
“Not one of these is a small endeavour” the site noted, requiring “substantial technical capacity, weight and cost”.