Mars Colony of Humans to Be Founded by 2023 (VIDEO)
Mars One has declared that it will set up the first human colony on another planet by 2023.
The ability to sustain life on Mars has been widely talked about for a long period of time. By 2005, scientist were all but convinced that human colonies could sustain themselves on the planet according to the National Geographic.
"There's no question we'll ultimately go there. It's a matter of when, not if," Lynn Rothschild, an astrobiologist at the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, told the publication in 2005.
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After seven years, Bas Lansdorp is setting the date. The entrepreneur has declared that the first colony to be built on Mars will occur by 2023. His plan involves creating what sounds like a massive reality show revolving his space mission. The media event and mass coverage idea was developed as a way to raise funding for the project.
By April 2023, Lansdorp states the four astronauts will be sent to the planet Mars, where they will remain for the rest of their lives. Every two years after that, an additional pair of people will be sent to the planet so that by 2033 over 20 people will be living on Mars.
"The entire world will be able to watch and help with decisions as the teams of settlers are selected, follow their extensive training and preparation for the mission and of course observe their settling on Mars once arrived," the company vision entails. "The emigrated astronauts will share their experiences with us as they build their new home, conduct experiments and explore Mars."
However, living on Mars may be no easy task and definitely doesn't sound like the average reality television show.
"The surface temperature of Mars is –81° Fahrenheit (–63° Celsius). The planet is bombarded by ultraviolet radiation, and its atmosphere is about 95 percent carbon dioxide," according to the National Geographic, which noted that "surviving is different from thriving."
"For humans to thrive on Mars and to have a continued presence there, they will need to transform the atmosphere and climate to suit human needs: The atmosphere needs to be full of breathable oxygen and the climate warm enough for liquid water," Rothschild reported.
