Meet the five Britons who could live on Mars... and never return: Mission reveals final longlist for one-way manned journey to the red planet in 2025 - whose pioneers will DIE there

  • The Mars One mission aims to establish a colony on the red planet
  • It now has a list of 50 men and 50 women from an original 200,000 entries
  • Five of them are from the UK, including three physics students 
  • Shortlist will be cut to 40, with four individuals chosen for the first mission 
  • Chris Hadfield, former ISS commander, said that mission may not deliver 

By Sarah Griffiths and Ellie Zolfagharifard For Dailymail.com

Published: 05:41 EST, 17 February 2015 | Updated: 14:17 EST, 17 February 2015

It's been described as a 'suicidal mission' that is doomed to fail.

Despite this, 100 people including five Britons have been shortlisted for the Mars One mission, which aims to send people to live on the red planet. 

The five British candidates are all under the age of 35 and hope to be chosen to be among the final crew of four who are set to begin their new lives in just 10 years time - and ultimately die on Mars.

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Ryan Macdonald (left) a physics student at Oxford University said: 'The most important thing to do in life is to leave a legacy. A lot of people do that by having a child...for me this would be my legacy.' Claire Weedon (right) is the only Briton who doesn’t work in science and is a self-confessed adrenaline junkie

Hannah Earnshaw is one five Britons who have been shortlisted for a one-way trip to Mars
Dr Alison Rigby, a 35-year-old laboratory technician from Kent (pictured) is also through to the next round of selection. She said: ‘My family is very close knit and supportive, but they are still worried about the prospect of me going to Mars

Hannah Earnshaw (left) a PhD student in astronomy at Durham University, is one five Britons who have been shortlisted for the one-way trip to Mars in 2025. Dr Alison Rigby, a 35-year-old laboratory technician from Kent (right) is also through to the next round of selection

The team is scheduled to arrive in 2025 following a gruelling seven-month journey from Earth.

'The large cut in candidates [from 200,000 to 100] is an important step towards finding out who has the right stuff to go to Mars,' said Bas Lansdorp, co-founder of the Dutch Mars One mission.

'These aspiring Martians provide the world with a glimpse into who the modern day explorers will be.'

The Mars 100 Round Three candidates were selected from a pool of 660 candidates after participating in personal online interviews.

They include 50 men and 50 women who successfully passed the second round.  

Maggie Lieu (pictured), 24, an astrophysics PhD student at the University of Birmingham was also chosen. She said: ‘Space travel has been a dream of mine for a very long time, and now I have the opportunity for something even bigger' and even hopes to become the first mother on Mars

Maggie Lieu (pictured), 24, an astrophysics PhD student at the University of Birmingham was also chosen. She said: ‘Space travel has been a dream of mine for a very long time, and now I have the opportunity for something even bigger' and even hopes to become the first mother on Mars

The majority of the 100 applicants come from the US, 31 come from Europe, 16 from Asia, seven from Africa and seven from Australia. The full list can be viewed here. 

The British hopefuls comprise three science students, a laboratory technician and a self-confessed adrenaline junkie. 

Hannah Earnshaw, 23, a PhD student in astronomy at Durham University, is among the British hopefuls. Her interests include rock climbing, hiking and astronomy.

She said: 'Human space exploration has always interested me so the opportunity to be one of the people involved was really appealing. The future of humanity is in space. 

MEET THE BRITISH CANDIDATES FOR THE MARS ONE MISSION

Name: Hannah Earnshaw

Age: 23

Born: Durham 

Occupation: Student in astronomy at the University of Durham

Reason for going to Mars: 'Human space exploration has always interested me so the opportunity to be one of the people involved was really appealing. The future of humanity is in space.'

Hannah Earnshaw

Hannah Earnshaw

Name: Alison Rigby

Age: 35

Born: Beckenham, Kent 

Occupation: Lab technician

Reason for Going to Mars: 'I think it's time for humans to start living somewhere else and I have the skills to make that happen.'

Dr Alison Rigby

Dr Alison Rigby

Name: Maggie Lieu 

Age: 24

Born: Coventry 

Occupation: Astrophysics student at the University of Birmingham

Thoughts about Mars: 'Mars is a challenge. It is highly risky, and an enormous responsibility as well as an adventure.'

Maggie Lieu

Maggie Lieu

Name: Ryan MacDonald

Age: 21

Born: Derby

Occupation: Master's student in physics at the University of Oxford

Reason for going to Mars: 'The most important thing to do in life is to leave a legacy. A lot of people do that by having a child...for me this would be my legacy'

Ryan MacDonald

Ryan MacDonald

Name: Clare Weedon

Age: 27

Born: Addlestone, Surrey

Occupation: Systems information manager for Virgin Media, who lives in Addlestone in Surrey

Reason for going to Mars: ‘I believe there is more to life than marriage and babies and I soon hope to escape the office environment and travel the world solo for some amazing life experiences.’

Clare Weedon

Clare Weedon

'My family is pretty thrilled. They're really happy for me. Obviously it's going to be challenging, leaving Earth and not coming back. I've had support from my friends and family and we can still communicate via the internet.'  

Maggie Lieu, 24, an astrophysics PhD student at the University of Birmingham was also chosen.

She said: ‘Space travel has been a dream of mine for a very long time, and now I have the opportunity for something even bigger. Mars is a challenge. It is highly risky, and an enormous responsibility as well as an adventure.’

She told the Express: 'It would be incredible to be the Adam and Eve of another planet.

WHAT AWAITS THE ADVENTUROUS COLONISTS? 

How will they get there?

Plans about how the four finalists will arrive on the red planet are vague. 

Mars One simply says that the crew will arrive on Mars in 2025, after a seven month journey from Earth.

A landing module attached to a rocket would drop the humans off, before they were met by a rover and taken to the Mars One Colony.

There is a possibility that the colonists could hibernate on the long journey. A proposal by Nasa on an unrelated mission suggests a crew could be put in a deep sleep for 180 days, allowing them to make the journey of 350 million miles (560 million km) with a reduced need for food and water.

A landing module attached to a rocket would drop the humans off, before they were met by a rover and taken to the Mars One Colony. There is a possibility that colonists could hibernate on the long journey (illustrated)

A landing module attached to a rocket would drop the humans off, before they were met by a rover and taken to the Mars One Colony. There is a possibility that colonists could hibernate on the long journey (illustrated)

The crew would be kept alive through intravenous feeding, before being woken at their destination by inhalation of a coolant gas.

Nasa Administrator Charles Bolden believes that colonising Mars is essential to ensure the survival of our species.

‘It’s important for the preservation of the species, and I want to make sure that my grand-daughters, and great-great-grandaughters, have the opportunity to go there,’ he said.

After landing on the red planet, the colonists would move into small ‘pods’, which would be their homes. An experiment is under way in the Utah desert to recreate the psychological effects of life on Mars, with four 'astronauts' living in isolation in cyclindrical homes (pictured) for two weeks at a time

After landing on the red planet, the colonists would move into small ‘pods’, which would be their homes. An experiment is under way in the Utah desert to recreate the psychological effects of life on Mars, with four 'astronauts' living in isolation in cyclindrical homes (pictured) for two weeks at a time

What about when they arrive?

After landing on the red planet, the colonists would move into small ‘pods’ - their homes.

The colonists will have 50 square metres each and a total of more than 200 square metres combined interior space, according to Mars One.

It says: 'Within the settlement are inflatable components which contain bedrooms, working areas, a living room and a "plant production unit", where they will grow greenery.

'They will also be able to shower as normal, prepare fresh food in the kitchen, wear regular clothes, and, in essence, lead typical day-to-day lives'

An experiment is under way in the Utah desert to recreate the psychological effects of life on Mars, with four 'astronauts' living in isolation for two weeks at a time.

Like the researchers from the Mars Society, colonists might expect to survive on food rations, conduct experiments and shower every few days.

Nasa is also planning a manned trip to Mars and has designed a house with solar panels.

In its Hi-Seas experiment in Hawaii, crews of six are living in a small dome with a 'sense of airiness' and are only allowed to venture outside wearing space suits, perhaps indicating what may lie ahead for the colonists.

The colonists may breathe through a device called Helena, which will could use electrolysis to produce oxygen from water extracted from Martian soil.

Designed by the University of Western Australia and a Mars One astronaut candidate, the device could be flown on Mars One's first unmanned lander mission and arrive on the planet in 2018. 

While living on Mars may seem exciting, it could be monotonous sending time in cramped conditions with only three other people for company.Daily tasks might include cultivating food (an illustration of what a Mars One greenhouse may look like is shown) and maintenance of essential equipment

While living on Mars may seem exciting, it could be monotonous sending time in cramped conditions with only three other people for company.Daily tasks might include cultivating food (an illustration of what a Mars One greenhouse may look like is shown) and maintenance of essential equipment

What will daily life be like? 

While living on Mars may seem exciting, it will probably be monotonous spending time in cramped quarters with only three other people for company on the entire planet.

Daily tasks might include cultivating food and maintenance of essential equipment. 

Scientists could fill their hours conducting experiments or perhaps using 3D printing to create objects they need to survive. 

In November, astronauts aboard the ISS made the first 3D printed object in space - a nameplate to commemorate the achievement. 

Nasa is studying objects to see how zero gravity conditions affect the printing process, but if they are sound, colonists could use additive manufacturing to produce spare parts and even perhaps games to keep them occupied.  

Will humans really be able to colonise Mars?

Maggie Lieu said: ‘It would be incredible to be the first mother on Mars… just being able to say that your baby was a Martian would be really funny.' 

However, her maternal aspirations may not be possible if she does become one of the first colonists. 

Researchers from the University of Kansas have warned that high levels of radiation in space damage the ovaries and testicles, which could hamper people's efforts to reproduce. 

Mars One says: ‘In the first years, the Mars settlement is not a suitable place for children to live. The medical facilities will be limited and the group is too small. 

Ms Lieu said it would be incredible to be the first mother on Mars, but researchers from the University of Kansas have warned that high levels of radiation in space damage the ovaries and testicles, which could hamper people's efforts to reproduce. An illustration of martian families is pictured

Ms Lieu said it would be incredible to be the first mother on Mars, but researchers from the University of Kansas have warned that high levels of radiation in space damage the ovaries and testicles, which could hamper people's efforts to reproduce. An illustration of martian families is pictured

‘The human ability to conceive in reduced gravity is not known, neither is there enough research on whether a foetus can grow normally under these circumstances. 

‘In order to establish a true settlement on Mars, Mars One recognises having children is vital.’ 

Kate Greene, who took part in Nasa’s Mars simulation believes that all colonists should be female. 

She says it was rare for a woman to burn more than 2,000 calories a day, whereas men regularly exceeded 3,000, so sending women to Mars would be cheaper and more feasible than one with men – but arguably make reproduction harder. 

Mars One plans on sending additional teams to the colony every two years, with the intention that by 2033 there would be over twenty people living and working on Mars.

It's been described as a 'suicidal mission'. Despite this, the Mars One project - which aims to send people to live on the red planet - has whittled down its shortlist of candidates from more than 200,000 to just 100 - and it includes five Britons. Pictured is an artist's impression of what a colony on Mars could look like

It's been described as a 'suicidal mission'. Despite this, the Mars One project - which aims to send people to live on the red planet - has whittled down its shortlist of candidates from more than 200,000 to just 100 - and it includes five Britons. Pictured is an artist's impression of what a colony on Mars could look like

The British hopefuls comprise three science students, a laboratory technician and a self-confessed adrenaline junkie, including Ryan MacDonald (left) and Dr Alison Rigby, (right) who said: 'My family is very close-knit and supportive, but they are still worried about the prospect of me going to Mars'

'Because it is a colonisation programme, it's inevitable that eventually someone will procreate and it would be incredible to be the first mother on Mars.'

'...I'm sure it would be a challenge - nobody has done any research on giving birth in a low-gravity environment - but just being able to say that your baby was a Martian would be really funny.'

In a blog post, Ms Lieu said that it is not her sole aim to get pregnant on Mars, writing: ‘I am more than just a human vessel/lab experiment.’

But, she believes that if humans want to start a colony, reproduction is a subject that needs to be discussed.

‘There is a lack of research on everything from insemination to pregnancy to giving birth in low gravity environment. So the dangers involving such are unknown,’ she said.

Talking about the ethics of having children in the colony, she said: ‘I think that raising a child on Mars is no different than that on Earth,’ pointing to women in developing countries who give birth at high personal risk.

She acknowledges that giving birth on Mars could be dangerous and that children would be raised in a confined space, but they won’t know any better.

‘They will be growing up with some of the most intelligent people of Earth, they will be eating healthy foods (grown on mars as opposed to all the junk food we have access to on Earth) and they will have a largely unexplored terrain as their back garden. I couldn’t think of anything better,’ she wrote.

‘Of course being the mother of the first martian would be a privilege, I would never be so stupid as to race for the title. My priority is the research.

‘In my opinion Mars will only become a suitable environment for a child after the colony settles, which would be many years after the first crew land.’ 

WHAT DANGERS COULD THE COLONISTS FACE? 

RADIATION: Dr Nathan Schwadron of the University of New Hampshire warned that sending people to Mars may be difficult due to an increased risk of radiation, which would boost the chance of diseases such as cancer.

The study found that a 30-year-old astronaut can spend one year in space before cosmic rays raises the radiation-risk beyond safe exposure limits.

AGED IMMUNE SYSTEM: French scientists believe that space flight may cause accelerated ageing of the immune system. So colonists may be more at risk from illness once they arrive on Mars.

DAMAGED BONE DENSITY: The mission would also need to find ways to counteract muscle and bone density loss, which is associated with lower gravity and space travel. In the long term it is essential that colonists will be strong enough to move around and cultivate crops, for example.

SUFFOCATION: A bleak study by MIT said: ‘The first crew fatality would occur approximately 68 days into the mission.’ 

Low air pressure, habitats at risk of explosion and a lack of spare parts for essential ventilation machinery could ultimately spell disaster. 

STARVATION: MIT experts also say that if the Mars One plans were followed, colonists could starve to death. A separate structure would be needed to grow food and store excess oxygen. However, if any breakdown occurred in the mechanics of the structure, the astronauts would be doomed. 

RISK OF EXPLOSIONS: Growing crops on Mars could create large amounts of oxygen and flammable environments if it was not vented.

Ms Lieu is not too daunted about the prospect of leaving her family behind, because she thinks technology will advance rapidly so that she will one day be able to come home to Earth.

Dr Alison Rigby, a 35-year-old laboratory technician from Kent is also through to the next round of selection.

She said: ‘My family is very close-knit and supportive, but they are still worried about the prospect of me going to Mars. 

‘I can understand their concerns; as time passes I realise more and more how deeply they feel for me and I for them. However as a potential representative of humanity on Mars I feel I have a responsibility to far more people.

‘I believe that the MarsOne Project and indeed every endeavour that will contribute to humanity becoming a space-faring, multiplanet species are of vital importance to the long term survival of our species.

Ryan Macdonald, 21, from Derby, is the only British male among the 100 shortlisted candidates in round three.

A sci-fi fan and physics student at Oxford University, he's currently designing a Thermal-IR camera for a future sample return mission to Mars’s moon Phobos, which could one day select the first landing site on the moons of Mars. 

Of his enthusiasm for the Mars One mission, he said: ‘To search for evidence of past or present life, to speak to and inspire school children back on Earth, to build the first civilisation on another planet… How could anyone say no to that!’

He told The Guardian: 'The most important thing to do in life is to leave a legacy. A lot of people do that by having a child, having a family. For me this would be my legacy.'

He said that in hundreds of years, people will remember the first four people to step foot onto Mars.

Ms Lieu (pictured) has aspirations of becoming a martian mother. She said: 'Because it is a colonisation programme, it's inevitable that eventually someone will procreate and it would be incredible to be the first mother on Mars... just being able to say that your baby was a Martian would be really funny'

Ms Lieu (pictured) has aspirations of becoming a martian mother. She said: 'Because it is a colonisation programme, it's inevitable that eventually someone will procreate and it would be incredible to be the first mother on Mars... just being able to say that your baby was a Martian would be really funny'

A Demonstration Mission will be launched to Mars in 2018 using a probe (artist's impression pictured). This will provide proof of concept for some of the technologies that are important for a human mission. However, experts including astronaut Chris Hadfield, are not sure that the mission will get off the ground

A Demonstration Mission will be launched to Mars in 2018 using a probe (artist's impression pictured). This will provide proof of concept for some of the technologies that are important for a human mission. However, experts including astronaut Chris Hadfield, are not sure that the mission will get off the ground

ASTRONAUT CHRIS HADFIELD'S FEARS FOR THE MISSION 

Chris Hadfield, former commander of the ISS, recently told Elmo Keep that the mission may not deliver on its promise.

'There's a great, I don't know, self-defeating optimism in the way that this project has been set up,' Mr Hadfield told Medium.

'I fear that it's going to be a little disillusioning for people, because it's presented as if for sure it's going to happen.'

Igore Mitrofanov of the Space Research Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences is concerned about the doses of radiation that the colonisers could receive.

He said he doubts that the volunteers for this trip know enough science and technology to take the risk.

Colonist candidate, Ms Earnshaw, said she is 'not surprised' by scepticism surrounding the project.

Last year, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reportedly found that any manned mission to Mars would result in the crew dying after 68 days. 

Clare Weedon, 27, from Addleston, Surrey, is the only Briton who doesn’t work in science and instead works as a systems information manager for Virgin Media.

A self-confessed adrenaline junkie, she said: ‘I believe there is more to life than marriage and babies and I soon hope to escape the office environment and travel the world solo for some amazing life experiences.’ 

 There are also three other UK-based candidates; Alexandra Doyle, 29, a law graduate from South Africa, living in Rutland, Lucie Ferstova, 25, from the Czech Republic, living in Emsworth and Zaskia Antel, a 20-year-old student from Bolivia living in Hove, East Sussex. 

While the experience may be amazing, it will certainly be tough. 

The crew of four will have to contend with temperatures as low as -62C and high radiation levels.

They could also be at risk of suffocation, starvation and dehydration. 

If all goes well, additional teams would join the settlement every two years, with the intention that by 2033 there would be over twenty people living and working on Mars. 

There, they will collect data, plant oxygen-producing vegetation and set the foundation for human colonisation. 

In spite of the risks, more than 200,000 people from around the world applied when the Netherlands-based group called for volunteers to join the mission in 2011.

In the next stage, which may involve 'rigorous, potentially televised competitions' to test individuals' responses to stressful situations, the current shortlist will be reduced to 40. 

The time frame for this next stage depends on how long it takes the team to sort through the 100 on the list, but candidates are expected to know whether they have made the cut by the end of this year.

Individuals who are were not selected will have a chance to re-apply in a new application round set to open later this year.

Chris Hadfield, former commander of the ISS, said that the mission may not deliver on its promise. 'There's a great, I don't know, self-defeating optimism in the way that this project has been set up,' he warned. 'I fear that it's going to be a little disillusioning for people, because it's presented as if for sure it's going to happen

Chris Hadfield, former commander of the ISS, said that the mission may not deliver on its promise. 'There's a great, I don't know, self-defeating optimism in the way that this project has been set up,' he warned. 'I fear that it's going to be a little disillusioning for people, because it's presented as if for sure it's going to happen

SCHEDULE FOR MARS ONE MISSION

The Mars One project plans to launch a supply mission to land on Mars as soon as October 2016.

A 'settlement rover' will then land in 2018.

The landing systems will be tested eight times before they are used to transport humans - a move that Mars One said will make the trips 'much safer than moon missions'.

The group said it aims to have a human settlement on Mars within a decade.

Journey time to Mars, which is approximately 40 million miles away depending on its position in orbit, would be around 200 days.

Chris Hadfield, former commander of the ISS, recently told Elmo Keep, writing in Medium that the mission may not deliver on this promise.

'There's a great, I don't know, self-defeating optimism in the way that this project has been set up,' Hadfield told Medium.

'I fear that it's going to be a little disillusioning for people, because it's presented as if for sure it's going to happen.'

Endemol, the production company behind Big Brother, said earlier last year it will be documenting the progress of the group of hopefuls as they compete for a 2025 ticket to the red planet.

Candidates do not need to have any scientific qualifications and an audience vote will be used to make the final choice.

Any chosen Mars settlers will then be required to dedicate eight years of their lives preparing for the 300 million-mile (482 million km) pioneering mission.

Igore Mitrofanov of the Space Research Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences told the Voice of Russia that the largest risk is the huge amounts of radiation the volunteers will receive.

MARS ONE FOUNDER DENIES PEOPLE DONATING BIG MONEY TO THE MISSION WILL BE CHOSEN FOR THE TRIP

Dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp - who is trying to raise almost $6 billion (£4 billion) to set up the Martian colony - has denied that candidates donating the most cash have the best chance of being chosen for the one-way trip.

He said he wants to find the ‘best of the best’ for the Mars One mission.

So far less than $760,000 (£496,000) has been donated to cover the estimated total cost but Mr Lansdorp insisted the mission will mostly be funded by private investment.

The 37-year-old said he plans to join the human settlement on Mars 10 years after the first humans arrive.

‘The biggest challenge is not financing the mission or technology but finding the best crew to cope with the psychological challenge of leaving everything and everyone behind,’ he said.

‘I’m certainly not qualified to be on that first team. It takes a certain type of person. It’s all about team skills, all about team work. I’m an entrepreneur, I’m impatient, stubborn and stick to my goals. They are not necessarily skills to go to Mars.’

The 200,000 people who applied for the mission were asked to pay an application fee of $38 dollars (£24) to ‘demonstrate they were serious’.

Some of the hopefuls donated more, however, including one who handed over ‘more than a couple of thousand’, he said.

But Mr Lansdorp denied that candidates donating the most money had the best chance of being selected. 

A robotic lander and orbiter are scheduled to lift off in 2018, followed by a scouting rover (artist's impression pictured) in 2020 and six cargo missions in 2022. Mr Hadfield claims Mars should not be a target for colonisation at this point, but targets much closer need to be considered

A robotic lander and orbiter are scheduled to lift off in 2018, followed by a scouting rover (artist's impression pictured) in 2020 and six cargo missions in 2022. Mr Hadfield claims Mars should not be a target for colonisation at this point, but targets much closer need to be considered

Echoing Mr Hadfield's concerns, he said he doubts that the volunteers for this trip know enough science and technology to take the risk.

Ms Earnshaw said she is 'not surprised' by scepticism surrounding the project. 

Last year, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reportedly found that any manned mission to Mars would result in the crew dying after 68 days, while critics have pointed out that the estimated cost of Mars One is a fraction of the amount proposed by Nasa.

The privately-funded mission is estimated to cost $6 billion (£4 billion) and is set to be filmed for a reality television series.

Ms Earnshaw said: 'It's a very ambitious mission and requires lots of things going right for humans to leave the planet. But this project is encouraging other people to talk about the wider implications.

'It's definitely feasible. Space travel is risky but at the same time, there is a time scale in place.'

Mr Lansdorp admitted that anyone hearing about the Mars One project for the first time would be ‘sceptical’.

‘We’ve heard for so many decades about the difficulties of travelling to Mars,’ Mr Lansdorp said.

‘There is a huge difference between returning from Mars and a one-way, permanent settlement.

“We don’t need to develop the capability of launching rockets from Mars. It’s a whole different mission.'

Before any humans are sent to Mars, the Dutch organisation has to find funds to send a robotic lander and communications satellite to the planet. 

If that goes well, the next step will be to send an 'intelligent' rover to scope out a landing spot for habitation modules and life support systems which will be sent up on rockets before the first humans arrive.

The robotic lander and orbiter are scheduled to lift off in 2018, followed by a scouting rover in 2020 and six cargo missions in 2022.  

But Mr Hadfield claims Mars should not be a target for colonisation at this point, but targets much closer need to be considered.

WHY IS THE MARS ONE MISSION A ONE WAY TRIP? 

A one-way trip has obvious technical advantages - there is no need to develop the capability of launching rockets from Mars.

But it has huge implications for colonists who will probably die on Mars in the Mars One project.

The privately funded Mars One mission has an estimated total cost of $6 billion (£4 billion), which is relatively small for such an ambitious project.

Nasa is planning a two-way manned trip to Mars, and plans on putting a human on Mars in 1935.

He plans on revealing details of a Mars Colonial Transporter later this year, which would differ from the Dragon capsules and Falcon 9 rockets that his firm SpaceX is flying today. This image shows the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Deep Space Climate Observatory Satellite, which lifted off last week

He plans on revealing details of a Mars Colonial Transporter later this year, which would differ from the Dragon capsules and Falcon 9 rockets that his firm SpaceX is flying today. This image shows the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Deep Space Climate Observatory Satellite, which lifted off last week

Nasa’s chief scientist Dr. Ellen Stofan told The Guardian: ‘We would definitely plan on bringing them [astronauts] back. We like to talk about pioneering Mars rather than just exploring Mars, because once we get to Mars we will set up some sort of permanent presence.’ 

The agency believes that humans' ability to read a landscape will make them better at exploring it than a rover.

Dr Stofan said: 'Having humans on the surface is how I think we are going to be able to demonstrate totally conclusively that life did evolve on Mars.'

Despite budgetary worries, the Nasa mission will be on a much larger and expensive scale than Mars One’s.

Elon Musk has recently also expressed interest in colonising Mars.

He plans on revealing details of a Mars Colonial Transporter later this year, which would differ from the Dragon capsules and Falcon 9 rockets that his firm SpaceX is flying today.

‘The Mars transport system will be a completely new architecture,’ he wrote on Reddit. 

‘Am hoping to present that towards the end of this year. Good thing we didn't do it sooner, as we have learned a huge amount from Falcon and Dragon.’

He aims to blast 100 metric tonnes of ‘useful payload’ which would need a large spacecraft and powerful booster system, although there are no other details so far. 

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