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An Auckland man has beaten out 200,000 applicants for a shot at appearing on a reality television show that will put a human colony on Mars in 10 years’ time.
Saeed Ghandhari, an Iranian-born immigrant, is among a group of 100 people who have made it through a global selection process to secure a one way ticket, to the as yet uncolonised, red planet.
He now joins a group of 10-strong international candidates who will then go on to compete for a final spot on the journey, that could take him, and a group of 40 others, to live on Mars permanently.
“We have just been placed into 10 different groups of 10 applicants from different continents,” Ghandhari told NZME. “I’m in group 1, or Team Blue. We have candidates from Aussie, Spain, Switzerland, England, America and NZ in my team.”
“The next round of selection will be done sometime in 2017. Once the required funding is secured, we will be notified of time and location at least 6 months in advance.”
The Mars One project is a crowd-funded venture that hopes to take the first humans to Mars. There will also be a reality television show as the contestants battle it out to secure a spot on the momentous mission.
The next selection round will focus on choosing teams which could withstand the challenges of permanently relocating to the uninhabited planet.
Saeed (35), who works for the Ministry of Social Development and as butcher, also has a background in applied physics, astronomy, astrology and cosmology, is determined to make it to the final cut.
The father of two said that if he is chosen, he knows he will be leaving his family behind, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.
“I told them I would inspire my children to think about others and humanity and if they can help people, they shouldn’t refrain,” he said. “I will leave them with honour, respect and hopefully enough money to build their future”
