If there is one thing to be learned with the landing of the first astronaut on the moon, it's that people can accomplish almost anything they put their mind to, especially when it comes to exploring the far reaches of space.
Now, an astrophysics student from the United Kingdom is planning to become one of the very first people to travel to Mars — even if it's only good for a one-way trip.
Twenty-two-year-old Ryan MacDonald, who is currently visiting New Zealand, has just made it to the final 100 candidates vying for a spot on the Mars One project. The privately funded spacecraft project aims to establish a permanent colony for humans on the red planet by 2026.
The organizers of Mars One have already screened over 200,000 individuals who applied for a place on the space mission, which estimated to be worth around $6 billion.
The Dutch non-profit firm also plans to create a reality TV series featuring the participants of Mars One.
When asked about his plans to leave Earth and start a new life on Mars, MacDonald said his typical answer is that he cannot stay on Earth when he could make a more significant contribution by traveling to the red planet.
MacDonald, who is working to get his Ph.D in astrophysics, explained that he is fascinated by the mystery of whether there is indeed life in other parts of the universe.
He added that he is also interested in getting a chance to start a new human civilization on another world.
The Mars One mission would allow him to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut and leaving a long-lasting legacy for the people he would leave behind, MacDonald said.
While becoming part of the space project has its benefits, the young scientist said that there was still a personal cost.
"If I have to give up the chance to have my own family in order that all of the families back here on Earth have a better quality of life, then yeah, that seems a sensible decision to make," MacDonald said.
The training for Mars One mission participants is expected to take around 12 years to finish.
