Mars One Mission and Project Applicants & Finalists: US Latina Finalist Talks Risk of Death and Biggest Fear
Yari Rodriguez might be headed to Mars. On her way there, there is the possibility she could perish in a rocket explosion or run out of oxygen, but Rodriguez is not scared of those things; she is scared of TV cameras.
"It's the scariest part about the whole mission," Rodriguez, 27, said according to Fox News Latino . "I'm really shy and nervous ... I've been coming to terms with being on TV."
More than 200,000 applied for the chance to go to Mars and settle there in 2025. Rodriguez is one of 100 contenders to have been chosen to move on, only 24 will get the chance to go.
The 24 people chosen to go to Mars is part of a $6 billion mission to create a self-sufficient settlement on the planet. It is sponsored by the Mars One Project, which is a Dutch nonprofit founded by entrepreneur Bas Lansdrop.
Lansdrop wants to raise money for the mission by selling broadcasting rights for the mission and wants create a reality show that would showcase the crew's journey to Mars.
Death is very possible on the mission, and Rodriguez knows that.
"Of course, it's something I thought about," Rodriguez said. "I mean, am I prepared to die here on Earth? What am I going to do with the rest of my life? Of course I think about what the risks and the challenges are going to be. I think about what I want to do with my life and signing up for Mars One ... at least I feel capable of going through a mission like this. If someone has to do it, and I am capable of doing it, I'd definitely volunteer."
Her grandmother is worried too.
"The first thing she did, when I saw my grandmother, is she showed me the newspaper and she said 'This is a suicide mission. Why do you want to do this?'" Rodriguez told Fox News Latino.
Others are doubting the trip to Mars too. MIT students concluded that the first person to arrive on Mars would die of suffocation 68 days after arriving on the planet.
But Lansdrop is still pushing forward with the plans. Later this year, candidates will start training and learning how to repair equipment that they will use on Mars and also how to grow their own food.
After preliminary plans are through, the first crew of four will head to Mars in 2024. Crews of four will then take off every two years.
Rodriguez has always wanted to be an astronaut and was inspired by Yuri Gagarin, the first man to orbit the Earth.
Rodriguez is the only US Latina woman in the contest. There is one woman from Bolivia and one from Brazil that are contenders.
"It's always been very important to represent minorities and women," she said. "It's an honor to be representing both Mexico and the United States."
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