A team of Dutch researchers, led by Bas Landsorp, plan to put a Human settlement on Mars by 2023
2013: Mars One will select astronauts for the mission and preparing them to live on Mars.
2016: First communication satellite and supplies will be sent to Mars.
2018: A rover will be sent to Mars to find the best location for the settlement.
2021: More rovers will be sent to prepare the settlements for the arrival of Humans.
September 2022: The first crew of 4 will leave Earth.
April 2023: The first 4 settlers will arrive on Mars.
Also, the Mars One team plans to send more settlers every two years.
As a fan of science, and a long-time proponent of space colonization, this is wonderful news. I hadn't expected this to occur until at least 2050.
Not only will humans finally get a chance at becoming a two-planet species, but the project will most certainly create a major advancement in technology, which could also improve things here on Earth.
Anyways, here's the links for those who want to read more.
Mars One WebpageIntroduction Video
Topic: Mars One: Dutch initiative to colonize Mars as early as 2023 (Read 4079 times)