“I have no doubt that we could physically place a human being on Mars. Whether they’d be able to survive for an extended period of time is much more doubtful” says Dr Bray. But the plan is to have humans settling the red planet by 2023, writes Melissa Hogenboom:

• Mars One is the non-profit organisation aiming to send the colonisers. After the first arrivals, four new settlers will be sent every two years.
• All of the technology that will be used on Mars already exists, including solar cells for energy and water recycling technologies for drinking and crop growing.
• For the reality TV show lovers, there’s something for you. The plan is to televise the whole experience in a Big Brother (or perhaps Truman Show) style programme.
• Cost may be an issue at $6 billion for the first group. But Mars One already has two investors, Trifork BV from the Netherlands and  Now&Partners from South Africa.
• There might be slight hiccups. “There’s no liquid water, the atmospheric pressure is “practically a vacuum”, radiation levels are higher and temperatures vary wildly” warns Dr Bray.

Read more about this project including plans to deal with the radiation, how Mars compares to Antarctica and why the tickets to Mars are only one way over here

Source: BBC