BRAVE and adventurous encapsulates the personality of Adriana Marais, a 30-year old PhD physics student and part time lecturer at UKZN, Westville Campus. She is one of 25 South Africans who have been drafted to embark on a mission to the planet Mars.
The mission, developed by the founders of the non-profit organisation, Mars One, involves establishing a permanent human settlement on Mars. The Mars One team will be selecting and training the human crew for the mission. The search for the astronauts began in April 2013, and over 78 000 people from 140 countries applied. Recently, the Mars One team short listed the candidates to 1 058 hopefuls. “By the end of March we have to submit our medical reports, after which the eligible crew members will be shortened even further,” said Marais.
By 2015 six groups of four crew members will be selected to embark on the seemingly futuristic mission. Over the next eight years they will undergo extensive training, which includes basic medical procedures, repairing structures and technology as well as growing food on the Mars habitat. “In 2014 the first crew will be launched into space. It will take seven months for them to reach Mars. Every two years another grew will be sent,” said Marais.
The fact that the selected astronauts will likely never return to earth does not seem to faze the brave explorer. “This is possibly the greatest adventure of humankind. I have always loved travelling. I just knew that I wanted to experience the feeling of being one of the first humans to lay my eyes on the Mars landscape. I would sacrifice a lot to feel that,” said Marais.
According to Marais her family and friends feel torn by her once in a life time opportunity. “On one end they obviously feel sad and shocked, but they are also excited for me. They understand my sense of adventure and would never stop me from pursuing my dreams,” said Marais.
A potential funding idea for the project involves a reality television show. The elimination process, training, the launch as well as the astronauts life on Mars will be documented and aired. “To send the first crew to mars will cost an estimated $6 billion,” said Marais.
Watch Adriana’s application video here.
