Mars One has cropped its list of candidates to colonize the Red Planet from 200,000 to 100 finalists.
According to CNN, the Dutch non-profit will ultimately pick 24 people to make the one-way trip to Mars, crews of four people every two years starting in 2024. The group believes current technology will be sufficient in setline Mars, but the mission is still expected to be grueling.
"The large cut in candidates is an important step towards finding out who has the right stuff to go to Mars," Bas Lansdorp, co-founder & CEO of Mars One, said in a press release. "These aspiring Martians provide the world with a glimpse into who the modern day explorers will be."
The journey to Mars itself is expected to take seven months, but even landing robotic rovers has proven highly stressful and far from routine. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) reported in Oct. that Mars One may need to let current technology develop to lessen their "giant leap for mankind."
The MIT scientists estimated that current technology could keep humans alive on Mars for 68 days. Even astronauts who only go to the International Space Station need to return to Earth after predetermined tours of service.
"Of course I am scared," Alison Rigby, a 35-year-old chemistry graduate from London and a Mars One finalist, told CNN. "It's something that has never been done before, it's a leap into the unknown. When people ask me why I am going to Mars to die, I say we are all going to die, but it's important what you do before you die."
Next for the 100 finalists will be team-building activities, but further down the road they will be put through isolation.
"We were impressed with how many strong candidates participated in the interview round, which made it a very difficult selection," Dr. Norbert Kraft, Mars One chief medical officer, said in the release. "Being one of the best individual candidates does not automatically make you the greatest team player, so I look forward to seeing how the candidates progress and work together in the upcoming challenges."
