Since the beginning of the human race, humans have been explorers. It is the reason Columbus went west, why Lewis and Clark went to the pacific, and Armstrong went to the moon. Why we explore is because we are curious and we can do it. It’s every kids dream to be an explorer, to go to the moon or farther out. Now some dreams are coming true, because Mars One program is sending a manned mission to Mars. They will send six groups up in all, and the goal is to establish a settlement on Mars.We have sent rovers and satellites but people want more. Enough is never enough for humans; we always need to go further and further. As long as people keep on dreaming we will be able to go anywhere. But first we have to take baby steps, which is sending a manned mission to Mars successfully, then to colonize it. But should we do this what is the benefit of it and to people that are going that is what I am discussing.

Why do we need to go there? Earth will be our home for a very long time, but not forever so we need to start going farther into space now, before it's too late and find another home, but we don’t  yet have technology to get humans into deep space fast enough so we need to take smaller steps by having a manned mission to Mars. Maybe just maybe we can find valuable resources, for more information about the universe. I think we should go there, but I wouldn’t want to be a volunteer. Someone else can seek that opportunity to become a famous explorer. Many people probably dreamed about going to Mars. In order to  volunteer now,  it’s too late for the first couple flights up. But if you were going to here is what you need to be able to do.

What are the qualifications to be a volunteer? Here are five key things you must be able to do for to have become a volunteer, listed by the Mars One program. They  must have Resiliency, which means you must be able to recover and do things with effort and the right way, be able to Adapt to the environment, situations, and cultural backgrounds, and have Curiosity. They need to have Trust in people of all races, Creativity, and Resourcefulness with the environment and surroundings. All of that information is what one needs to be able to do in order to be a volunteer stated by the Mars One Program. The age limit is eighteen there is not a maximum limit but if  you are not physically or mentally healthy able to go you will probably be denied.

How will the astronauts stay safe and healthy during the trip. The astronauts will have a mini gym, according the Mars One designers of the rocket. They will be able to work out on their break times, so therefore they will be able to stay fit while up there. According to FAQ Mars One they will have a kitchen, shower, and bathroom with them that is oxygen sealed; making it safe to breathe with no equipment. They are also bringing up food supplies to last them about seventy days and water but they will also try and find a way to get more water and food while up there, trying to establish living plants on mars. They will also bring medical supplies and tools so if something happens they can fix it without compromising the mission. They will also be exposed to elements like radiation, sand particles that could rip through their suit, and asteroids. There are a lot of things they need to watch for and be careful, but these pay a price.

How much does the mission really cost? For the first group it will be about six billion dollars according to Mars One researchers. The rest will not cost as much but still a lot of money. Some may want to know where they are getting all this money. According to Mars One researchers they have been saving and making money since 1993 so they already had money but not enough so they have donations and fundraisers. United States is the highest donor with $309,000 well ahead of Canada who is second. For one to donate they can go to this website http://www.mars-one.com/donate. If one does donate, they donate monthly as much as one wants to.

Another big topic is time and how long the trip will take. According to MIT researchers it will take about 7 months to get there. Once they are there the first person will likely die in about sixty to seventy days which is not a lot of time to get things done and not worth it to me. The rest will die shortly after, but after each group goes the next will likely live longer. They will send each group alternating of about two years, according to MIT Researchers.

So in 2026 new children can start dreaming and imagining about what it’s like to live on Mars because they will be learning about it in school and their will be people up there. But for how long it will take to get there and the time each person has to live and cost of not just the trip but their lives as well. To me I don’t think it’s really worth it. But for some people they have to they want to become their own Lewis and Clark or Columbus to become one of the first people to set foot on a new soil, a new planet, and maybe our next home.