Is Mars One Just One Big PR Stunt?

It’s a rare occurrence, but sometimes a news article will catch your attention and lead you to wonder if the source is reliable, or if you’ve been duped by the ever-growing list of satirical, spoof news websites. Reports of the Mars One mission had this exact effect on many people, with many questioning the authenticity of the project, the motivations of its CEO, and the likelihood that it will ever get off the ground. Read more about the mission here: What is the Mars One Mission?.

Since it was announced in 2011, the Mars One Mission – which aims to send a group of people on a one-way trip to the Red Planet in 2028 – has garnered as much criticism as intrigue. What is most controversial about the mission is the recruitment process, which involved an online application and several rounds of jumping through hoops in the hope of becoming one of the 100 finalists. According to Mars One, over 200,000 people applied to be part of the mission – although this figure has been disputed by one of the 100 finalists. The final hopefuls, aged 19-60, will now go through four rounds of selection, some of which may be broadcast in a reality TV show format. You can find out more about the finalists in our article: Meet the Mars One Mission’s Top 10 Candidates.

For anyone looking for the ultimate adventure holiday, a one-way ticket to Mars could be just the getaway they’ve been looking for – but is there any validity to the project, and is it likely we’ll be saying farewell to the brave applicants any time soon?

According to the CEO of Mars One, the project will go ahead, on budget, with only a two-year delay due to funding issues. Although this assertion has been slammed by individuals and organisations, including NASA. Mars One CEO Bas Lansdorp claims the mission will adhere to the timeline, which would see the first crew leaving Earth in 2026, followed by a second crew in 2028. According to Lansdorp, the entire project is possible for $6bn, while NASA has estimated that the project will cost at least $32bn, and won’t be possible for another 100 years.

Even if the project is simply a PR stunt to launch a reality TV about astronaut training, some claim that the project is potentially damaging, rather than just deceptive. Former NASA employee, James F. Reilly has spoken out against the project claiming that it could damage our chances of ever reaching Mars by squashing the dreams of future generations. Speaking at a private dinner at Wembley Stadium, the ex-International Space Station resident said: “People may look at the Mars One reality TV footage and think that going to Mars is not a good idea." He also highlighted a fundamental flaw in the project, saying: “It violates our tenets of exploration, which have always been to go and come back."

There is little official information available about the project, and no real indication as to how Mars One – which admits it is not a space-faring agency – will pull off this extraordinary feat. Time will tell if this mission can ever come to fruition, and if the 100 hopefuls will ever bid farewell to this planet and begin a new life 141 million miles from Earth.