Mars colony project bags first investor

The ambitious USD 6 billion Mars mission that aims to colonise the Red planet and stage a reality show around it has attracted its first investor.

The Netherlands-based nonprofit organisation Mars One that aims to land four astronauts on Mars in 2023 has secured investments that will fund conceptual design studies and its astronaut selection programme, both of which are slated to kick off soon, officials said.

"Raising a few million [US dollars] in the coming months may seem insignificant in the shadow of the pending billions required, but we are taking it one step at a time," Kai Staats, director of business development for Mars One, said.

"These first few bring tangible demonstration to nearly two years in planning. For us, committed funds in this phase of development are an important indicator we are moving in the right direction," said Staats.

The organisation plans to stage a global reality-TV event around the one-way mission, with cameras following every step of the way from astronaut selection to the settlers' first years on the Red Planet, SPACE.com reported.

The revenues from broadcasting rights and sponsorships will cover most of the costs, it said.

Mars One officials say they will use the money to fund conceptual design studies ¿ engineering bids from private spaceflight companies that aim to provide the spaceships, habitat modules and other major components of the Mars colony.

Some part of the money will also finance Mars One's televised astronaut selection process, which officials have said will also likely launch sometime this year.

Earlier this month, Mars One released its astronaut requirements. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, in good mental and physical health and willing to undergo a training program that will last about eight years.

Mars One anticipates receiving hundreds of thousands of applications from people interested in becoming Mars colonists.

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