If you have been thinking of joining the list of the Martian wannabes aiming for a one-way ticket to Mars, you better make up your mind the soonest possible time as the foundation will no longer accept it after Aug. 31.
To date, the Mars One project already have over 165,000 hopefuls who willfully submitted their resumes online. After the deadline, the officials will start screening them one-by-one to finalize the short list. The chosen applicants will begin a nine-month journey to Mars and settle there upon arrival. Training will be provided before they be sent out.
"It's easily assumed that Mars One is only looking for pilots and engineers," Mars One chief medical officer Norbert Kraft told the Fox News. "Don't disqualify yourself too easily. If you wish to be a Mars pioneer despite of the risks and challenges that come with this job, you are already more qualified than most people on this planet. It is most important that you are healthy and have the right mindset."
Everyone is welcome to apply-- as long as you're above 18 years old. In fact, the Mars One Project had already received applications from over 140 countries. Twenty-three percent of the applicants, or 37,852, are from the United States. Other international applicants are from China, Brazil, India, Russia, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada, Spain and the Philippines.
"The cultural diversity of Mars One applicants reflects the international nature of this project and ultimately makes it humanity's mission to Mars," Bas Lansdorp, CEO and co-founder of Mars One, said in a statement in Fox News.
The first crew is expected to begin their journey to the Red Planet in 2023 and will be featured on a reality TV show which will follow the astronaut selection process, mission planning, and training.
The Mars One project initially expected half a million applicants when they announced the project back in April. The reviewers will choose the best 50-100 candidates in each regions in the world. They will be called to undergo Round 2.
The entire selection process will end in 2015 wherein between 28 to 40 candidates will be officially employed by Mars One. The training will then begin and end in seven years. The public will vote for the first group to journey to Mars.
