Out Of This World

"There's absolutely no concern for me that they can get us there safely and they're not going to send us unless the colony is ready to go."
Alex Marion, 26, Surrey, British Columbia

"I've always said that if such a trip would happen in my lifetime, I would do everything it takes to be part of it. It breaks my heart to actually leave them, but I've had a talk with them and they understand it is my dream since I was young."
Audrey Roy, 19, technical engineering student, Saint-Ephrem-de-Beauce, Quebec

"We were both incredibly surprised about my making it -- not so much of him not making it. We both had hopes, but there was no expectation there, so it was quite incredible to get the email."
Christy Foley, 32, Alberta government employee

Christy Foley, but not her 33-year-old husband who also applied for the selection process to be chosen to take part in a one-way journey to Mars scheduled to begin in 2024, was among seventy-five Canadians chosen to travel to Mars through the non-profit organization, Mars One, based in Amersfoort, Netherlands. When the Mars One project was announced inviting applicants, it amassed a global applicant pool of over 200,000 people.

There were 8,243 applications from Canadians with an average age of around 35. On December 30, Mars One brought the pool of prospective travellers to a 99.5% reduction. That done, a mere 1,058 candidates were left to enter the second round of the selection process. Now, 43 Canadian women and 32 Canadian men are set to take part in the next part of the process. University of Moncton math and physics professor, 60-year-old Claude Gautier isn't certain why he might have been selected.

Presumably he knows why he made application for the one-way trip, but at age 60 at the present time, he would be in his 70s by the time the first departure of four leaving every two years is initiated. And it is anticipated that, taking off in 2024, arrival on Mars will be within the following year. "Half of the family agrees that I should go on the trip, the other half is under negotiations. My wife reserves the right of veto and she'll have the last word", he said. Better be nice to her.

Prior to sending these adventurous volunteers into the void of deep, dark and very cold space, the enterprise plans to put together an infrastructure on the planet including living quarters, communications sytems and a water supply. Mars looks rather desolate as a destination, given the Mars rover photographs relayed back down to Earth. But then, people make strange decisions with their live prospects, and this may represent just another quirk in human nature.

Canada, with 75 prospective travel candidates represented the second-largest tranche selected after the United States, where 297 candidates were chosen. India came in third behind Canada with 62 candidates taking their place within the second round. Applications were received from hopefuls representing one hundred countries. Confoundingly all such chosen candidates must now present health certificates signed by a physician.

Amazing that this was not a requirement from the word go, to accomany the completed application requests. Mars One's medical director, Dr. Norbert Kraft wishes to receive confirmation that candidates have no serious physical illnesses or addictions to drugs or alcohol. "We want to make sure they are healthy enough to join the program", he explained from San Jose, California. A trifle tardily, it would seem.

Why complicate the adventure of a year's journey to outer space by having to plan for a sick bay for those who may never live long enough to colonize Mars?