Potential candidates for the Mars One mission continue to be whittled down, with the remaining 660 people from around the world beginning the second round of interviews today.
The planned one-way mission to Mars in 2024 may be nearly 10 years away, but starting next year, the first training will begin for the four final candidates.
However, before they can be selected, there still remains a further two steps for the remaining 660 people to go through. Today marks the halfway stage of selection.
According to those behind the Mars One project, this stage of selection will be the first judgment of the candidates’ physical health, which will obviously be important if they are to live on another planet and endure the strains space travel can put on the human body.
Our Round Two Interviews start today, good luck Mars One candidates! #MarsOne660 #marstronaut pic.twitter.com/R4H88QCNcn
— Mars One (@MarsOneProject) December 8, 2014
In what will surely be a first for many of the doctors taking part, the candidates for the second round of interviews must obtain an all-clear statement from their physicians that they are capable of space travel and will also be invited to attend, in person, the Mars One selection committee.
One candidate that Irish eyes will be keeping a look out for is Dr Joseph Roche, astrophysicist and lecturer at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), who is aiming to be one of the first people to set foot on Mars. He has previously spoken to Siliconrepublic.com about his hopes and aspirations for the mission.
A recent infographic showing the make-up of the remaining Mars One candidates (several have since pulled out, hence the 705 figure) and their demographic make-up. Click on the image for a larger version. Image via Outerplaces.com
