In April, the Mars One program announced it was in search of four people willing to travel to Mars and establish the first human colony in outer space. The lucky candidates will spend seven years training for the mission before leaving Earth in 2023, never to return.
After the settlers are established on the Red Planet, more settlers and cargo will be sent up every two years. The application deadline is Aug. 31, and so far over 100,000 have applied. BuzzFeed interviewed 13 of them via email about why they hope to be chosen.
Amulya Nidhi Rastogi, 20: "This is my purpose in life."
Amulya is a mechanical engineering student from Haryana, India. He wants to bring a cat to Mars, and is "always trying to become Batman."
Why did you apply for Mars One?
There comes a time in a person's life when they realize their purpose and do whatever it takes to help better understand it and achieve it. This is my purpose. I've always waited and prepared myself for this opportunity.
What scares you most about the mission?
I won't be afraid of anything if I'm chosen. I'm afraid of spending the rest of my life on Earth.
What will you miss the most on Earth?
I will miss swimming the most.
What do you bring to the table?
The two things that I have and the two things that matter the most for the success of this mission are: mental stability and patience. I also have hope.
If you could bring three things with you to Mars, what would they be?
1) A gold ring my grandmother gave me; 2) a cat, and 3) South Indian food.
Fun fact: I am always trying to become Batman. To me, the seven-year training period of Mars One is similar to the seven- to eight-year training period that Bruce Wayne (Batman) went through.
Amulya's application video.
View this video on YouTube
Leila Zucker, 45: "Why WOULDN'T you apply?"
Leila is an emergency medicine physician based in Washington, D.C., who loves Weird Al Yankovic.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
I'd have to ask you, why WOULDN'T you apply? I've always wanted to go into space for as long as I can remember. Most human beings have an innate desire to travel and explore, I'm just at one end of the bell curve, that's all.
What scares you about the mission?
The only thing that scares me about the mission is that if it fails, instead of others standing on our shoulders to reach the stars, humanity gives up and it's another 50 years before humans leave the planet.
What, if anything, will you miss on Earth?
I'd miss Ron, my spousal-unit of 21 years (who by the way is the one who told me about Mars One). I don't like kids, I don't have kids, I don't want kids — I'm too busy being a big kid myself!
What do you bring to the table?
I should be selected because I'm an E.R. doc. Plus, I think I meet all of the criteria Mars One lists...but mostly because I'm the real McCoy.
If you could bring three things with you, what would they be?
1) Wedding ring, 2) my mahogany Baby Taylor guitar (so I can finally learn to play it), and 3) a deck of playing cards.
Fun fact: I'm a Weird Al fan.
Leila's application video.
Brian Hinson, 43: "I would only consider changing my mind if it turned out to be an all-dude crew."
Brian is from Tijeras, New Mexico, and co-owns Skin Beautiful Dermaceuticals, an anti-aging skin-care line. He plans to bring an iPad full of porn with him to Mars.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
This is the noblest endeavor. The ultimate goal of Mars One is the establishment of a self-sustaining colony off-world. This would make humanity impervious to any planet-wide disaster, and therefore immortal. The eternal glory of being one of the first people on another planet isn't too shabby, either.
What scares you most about the mission?
After a decade or two on Mars, I may want to desperately come home.
What, if anything, will you miss most from Earth?
The ability to step outside and feel the breeze and sunshine on my face.
What do you bring to the table?
I play well with others. I accept others for what they are, and more importantly, I accept myself. My experience as a pilot, adventurer, and a traveler are salient, but being able to chill with the same three people for years...millions of miles from anyone else....that's more important.
If you could bring three things with you to Mars, what would they be?
1) iPad full of porn, 2) a hand drum, and 3) something from an ancient civilization, like a small charm or a coin.
Fun fact: I'm a private pilot for fun and have traveled to 39 countries.
Brian's application video.
Sara Director, 24: "I've never wanted anything more intensely."
Sara is an interior designer from the suburbs of Philadelphia. She used to dream about running away from home with Doctor Who.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
An astronaut was the first thing I wanted to be when I grew up, right after I learned that I couldn't grow up to be a velociraptor. It's always been in the back of my mind, that if anyone ever offered me the chance to go — for any reason or at any price — I would drop everything and do it.
What scares you most about the mission?
I honestly can't think of anything that I would be afraid of — aside from the same things I'd be afraid of on Earth. Dying on Mars is probably pretty much the same as dying on Earth — and at least on Mars I would have contributed something real and tangible to the human race, and that's a deathbed thought that I can feel really good about.
What will you miss from Earth?
The people here who I'll never see again. Other than that, most of the things I love on Earth are things I can get on Mars, such as books and movies and music.
What do you bring to the table?
My greatest strength is my ability to think about things both logically and emotionally. My background has always been both art and science, and the two of those things together is a powerful combination.
If you could bring 3 things with you to Mars, what would they be?
1) Spices, 2) paintbrushes, and 3) the most comfortable and indestructible pair of jeans. Because they really will be the last pair of jeans I'll ever wear, and they will need to last a long time.
Fun fact: Apparently when I was a very tiny baby, my mom and my dad would watch all of the televised shuttle launches, and my mom would hold me in front of the TV and say, "Pay attention, Sara! This is really really important!" I guess I listened.
Sara's application video.
View this video on YouTube
Michael Archavian, 32: "The only way I would stay on Earth is if WWIII happens and Mars One shuts down."
Michael is a computer repair man from Palmdale, California, who has a fear of heights.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
I applied because I have always been infatuated with space and what might be out there.
What scares you most about the mission?
Honestly, my fear of heights. Going up in the rocket will probably be the scariest thing to me.
What, if anything, will you miss most from Earth?
Swimming, I will most definitely miss swimming.
What do you bring to the table?
I have lived on and off the streets from the ages of 16–28. During that time I have traveled by foot to different states. I am good at survival to a degree and I am really good with computers. I have a great personality and tend to lighten depressing situations. I plan to bring some of the Asimo Robots with me and they are going to be a part of my team.
If you could bring three things with you to Mars, what would they be?
1) My computer, 2) a Playstation 3 and, 3) a Honda Asimo Robot
Fun fact: This is a hard question, not sure how to answer it.
Michael's application video.
View this video on YouTube
Mathias Gordon, 22: "I'm 110% ready for this!"
Mathias Gordon is a data technician trainee from Denmark.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
I applied for the Mars One mission because I have always dreamt about going to mars, but when you come from small Denmark it's a far-fetched dream. So when I read about Mars One I knew it was something I just had to try.
What scares you most about the mission?
During the trip to Mars, I think that what we all would be most afraid of is that something goes wrong and we all die a slow and painful death.
What will you miss from Earth?
My family, of course.
What do you bring to the table?
I have a good imagination, I like inventing and creating stuff. I'm usually in a good mood, I always hum a melody when I work and I just love to make people laugh and spread joy as I go about my daily life. I'm educated Technical Designer so I know how to create and read work drawings and do basic strength calculations. I'm also taking an education as Data Technician right now so I know my way around a computer.
If you could bring three things with you to Mars, what would they be?
1) A digital picture frame with pictures of my family, 2) some of my favorite music, and 3) my Game Boy.
Fun fact: I like to walk around in my kilt.
Mathias' application video.
Dan Carey, 51: "I am a married man with two adult children, so I had to make my peace with the idea of leaving them behind."
Dan is a data architect from Annandale, Virginia, who will bring a Star Trek uniform with him to outer space.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
I believe mankind's destiny lies in the larger solar system, and I want to be part of that expansion. Also, I relish the idea of helping to construct a new and intentional society from scratch: what virtues will we promote, what vices will we decry; how will we structure our families and our communities; how will we govern ourselves?
What scares you most about the mission?
The possibility that only one or two crews goes and then the supplies stop coming.
What, if anything, will you miss most from Earth?
Pets, weather, and just being able to go see something different. (There's not a lot of varied landscape on Mars within hiking distance.)
What do you bring to the table?
I have a very even temperament: I don't get angry or sad very often or for very long. I love learning new things and talking about them to others, as we will no doubt be doing with specialists as well as general audiences. And by the time we arrive, I'll be 61 years old, which is young enough to have decades left to contribute, but old enough to have a more well-rounded perspective on life than someone half that age.
If you could bring three things with you to Mars, what would they be?
1) My mandolin (and lots of spare strings), 2) a Star Trek uniform, and 3) something belonging to my wife that would trigger lots of memories.
Fun fact: When I was 12 years old, I wore roller skates for an entire week in an attempt to set a world's record.
Dan's application video.
Katelyn "Kitty" Kane, 23: "I'm hoping to escape my crippling student loan debt."
Kitty is a 23-year-old hairstylist from Provo, Utah. She promises that her fellow astronauts will have really good hair.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
To aid the long-term survival of the human race, and to escape my crippling student loan debt.
What scares you most about the mission?
I'm afraid of all the usual things like explosions, teammates going space-crazy, and dying alone in the void.
What, if anything, will you miss from Earth?
I would definitely miss the food here. If you're thinking of Wikipedia'ing astronaut food, do yourself a favor and don't. I'd also miss getting in real-time comment wars about Miley Cyrus.
What do you bring to the table?
In my application video, I said that I would be the perfect candidate because I watch a lot of reality TV. I was only 80% kidding. The applicants need to be level-headed and affable (which I'd like to think I am), but they will also need to generate media content. I honestly feel that I would be good at that. I have apparently been preparing for this media onslaught since I was 8 and started Destination Moon, which was a really embarrassing space-themed girl band that was a complete rip of both the Spice Girls AND Sailor Moon.
If you could bring three things with you, what would they be?
1) Monopoly, the longest game ever, 2) arts and crafts supplies, and 3) Pokemon cards, which FYI, are still a thing.
Fun fact: I absolutely love cats, but every cat hates me. It's real; people notice.
Kitty's application video.
View this video on YouTube
Joshua Kemp, 28: "I am willing to change my name to Joshua Apple Google Facebook McDonald's if I have to."
Joshua is a business manager from Ashland, Ohio, who plans to bring his houseplant Philip with him to the red planet.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
I applied to Mars One to give back to all of the people who have made me who I am today. I want to give them a colonist that is relatable and values love, honesty, and determination. Also, I don't like bugs all that much. I'm pretty sure there aren't any bugs on Mars.
What scares you most about the mission?
What scares me most is the perception of people that this mission is irrelevant to their lives. The Mars One colony is going to change the course of history. I mean what is there to be afraid of? There aren't any bugs there right?
What will you miss from Earth?
My wife. Not the ocean or the wind. Not the trees or the rain. My wife. My wife supports me in that she knows how much this means to me.
What do you bring to the table?
All we are is the good we leave behind for others. I can think of nothing greater than giving future generations hope. I want them to know they can change this world and any world they step foot on. I want to bring a genuine empathy and commitment to my fellow colonists. I want to be the glue that holds us together so that when people look up at night they will know that we are all OK.
If you could bring three things with you to Mars, what would they be?
1) Wedding ring, 2) photograph of my family, and 3) my houseplant Philip.
Fun fact: I learned how to read when I was 3 years old and haven't stopped since.
Sybelle Silverphoenix, 30: "Leaving forever is an opportunity I've been waiting for since I was born! "
Sybelle is an actress and "pole-dancing nerd" from New York.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
I grew up on sci-fi and I always felt that technologically, we've been behind. We could have accomplished a lot more a lot sooner, and interplanetary space travel is most certainly one of the things I think should have begun waaay earlier. I am a very curious person, enthusiastic about astronomy in particular, and so this mission is of great interest to me.
What scares you the most about the mission?
I'd say the thing that scares me the most about this mission would be any underwater training we'd need to do. Astronaut training many times will include underwater parts, and I have a fear of drowning, lol. I don't care how I die any other way, I just wouldn't want to go drowning.
What, if anything, will you miss most from Earth?
I would miss my family and friends, and animals. I love animals very much. If I could bring at least my cats and my daughter to Mars, I would. She wants to go too. :D
What do you bring to the table?
I should be selected because I speak three languages, have a natural knack for working with technology (I'm also a self-taught PC technician) and can learn things very quickly, and I'd love to be around others whose main interest is astronomy and astrophysics. Being stuck in a capsule or on a planet with three other people whose sole interest is in those things sounds like dying and going to heaven to me, where were all these people when I was growing up, lol?!
If you could bring three things with you, what would they be?
1) Magnets of varying intensities, 2) a telescope — preferably a really powerful one, complete with solar filters, and 3) a really powerful computer.
Fun fact: I'm an acrobatic pole-dancing nerd, haha.
Sybelle's application video.
View this video on YouTube
Alison Rigby, 33: "I want to do something amazing with my life."
Alison is a scientist from London, England, who hopes to escape the Earth's violence, and show the planet there is another way of life.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
There is so much strife on Earth with the conflicts and financial problems; I believe if people see an international group of well-trained individuals working together toward common goals on another planet it will send a powerful message of unity.
What scares you most about the mission?
I will be most worried when I'm sitting in the rocket ready to blast off. That's when things can really go wrong, however there will have been many unmanned launches using the same rocket prior to my mission and so the hardware will be well tested.
What, if anything, will you miss most from Earth?
I will miss the varied foods we have on Earth. I'm a bit of a gastronome, and so a diet of vegetables, insects, and supplements will take a while getting used to.
What do you bring to the table?
I have read the five criteria that Mars One is looking for (resiliency, adaptability, curiosity, ability to trust and creativity/resourcefulness), and I believe I can demonstrate each one. I am first and foremost a trained scientist and so I have an unwavering curiosity and creativity. More importantly, I'd like to believe I'm friendly and approachable, so I should have no problems working with my fellow aspiring Martians.
If you could bring three things with you to Mars, what would they be?
1) My Kindle, 2) a chemical analysis kit, and 3) a photograph of my family.
Fun fact: I once met Brian Cox and was going to ask him a question about metallic hydrogen in the gas giant planets, but I was so starstruck I couldn't speak.
Alison's application video.
Bill Dunlap, 45: "I don't particularly want to leave my home world, but the pull of the universe is stronger."
Bill is a repairman from Bentonville, Arkansas, who plays the drums for a Christian rock band.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
This is a tough question to answer. I've held for a long time that two things — love and God — cannot be explained to someone who doesn't already understand. You could write a library full of books on the subject of love and someone who has experienced it will understand in the first sentence while someone who hasn't could read all of it and never really get it.
This decision is exactly like those subjects. It's almost a calling. I can remember always wanting to go explore space — just outside the atmosphere, other planets, other star systems... There is something in my innermost recesses that calls me there. I can do nothing else.
What scares you the most about the mission?
Nothing.
What, if anything, will you miss most from Earth?
My family and friends.
What do you bring to the table?
I believe that the two most important jobs for the first colonists will be a medic and a repairman. I have been a repairman of all sorts of things for my entire life. I can fix anything, and we'll need that on Mars. I have a relatively high IQ and learn quickly, I work well with other people, and I have passion for this venture.
Most importantly for this venture, I tend to be something of a loner. There will be only four people going to Mars in 2022. People who need lots of social interaction will not be able to psychologically handle that kind of solitude.
If you could bring three things with you, what would they be?
1) A pair of drumsticks, 2) I'd like to digitize my photo albums, scrapbooks, music, etc., and take a computer (tablet, whatever) with all of those files, and 3) a special object from my wife. I'll keep that one private, if you please.
Fun fact:I'm a drummer in a rock band. You can check us out at faithsjourneyband.com.
Bill's application video.
View this video on YouTube
Ara Molina, 28: "What could be better than living in two different planets during a lifetime?"
Ara is a student in the north of Spain who wishes she could bring her pet bunny to Mars.
Why did you apply for Mars One?
I've always felt the need to do something big, I don't see myself living an ordinary life. When I'm about to die I don't want to look back and regret not doing certain things, applying for Mars One being one of them. Also, I love the idea of being able to create a new society from scratch.
What scares you the most about the mission?
Losing one of the crew members would be the worst-case scenario for me. I'm more scared of losing someone that I am of dying myself. The colonists will spend seven years training together on Earth and then they'll live together for the rest of their lives while building a colony on a different planet. They'll be more than a family, much more than a group of friends... So I can't even imagine how painful losing someone you're so close to must be.
What, if anything, will you miss most from Earth?
Animals, attending music festivals, going for walks, the breeze on my face...
What do you bring to the table?
I'm a very patient person. I tend to keep calm and even laugh at certain situations when people usually panic.
If you could bring three things with you, what would they be?
1) A laptop and a hard drive full of e-books, movies and music, 2) a drawing that a friend of mine who passed away made for me, and 3) my pet bunny (if she doesn't die by 2023).
Fun fact: When I was younger I kept running into so many bizarre situations that people always used to tell me I should write a book. Who knows, maybe I'll get to write it on Mars!