One way trip to Mars in 2024!

The mission will aim to set up a permanent manned outpost on the Red Planet which could later expand and the first 24 participants will die on Mars.

Three Indian candidates include 29-year-old Taranjeet Singh Bhatia, who is studying Doctorate in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida, and the other two are Ritika Singh, 29, who lives in Dubai, and Shradha Prasad, 19, from Kerala, all made it to the list of 100 applicants who will move to the next round of an ambitious private mission that aims to send four people on a one-way trip to Mars in 2024.

According to the Mars One Netherlands-based non-profit organisation there was initial 202,586 applicants. The project aims to set up a human colony on Mars and eventually around 40 people will be sent to the red planet on a permanent basis. The finalists will train for seven years and Mars One will begin sending out four at a time from 2024.

The Mars 100, include 50 men and 50 women with 39 from the Americas, 31 from Europe, 16 from Asia, 7 from Africa, and 7 from Oceania.

During the interviews the candidates had a chance to show their understanding of the risks involved, team spirit and their motivation to be part of the life changing expedition.

The next selection rounds will focus on composing teams that can endure all the hardships of a permanent settlement on Mars.

The candidates will receive their first shot at training in the copy of the Mars Outpost on Earth and will demonstrate their suitability to perform well in a team.