a visit to mars

i've been asked by a lot of people over the years if i would be want to be an astronaut and whether i'd be willing to go to mars.  my answer is: sure!

buzz aldrin certainly wants to go to mars, as he revealed in this tweet to chris hadfield, an astronaut currently on the international space station! 

in case any of you are interested, the mars one project is a not-for-profit organization that is now looking for VOLUNTEERS TO GO TO MARS!  for more information, you can visit www.thenextgiantleap.com for all the selection details, but here is a snopsis.

Applicants need to be at least 18 years of age, have a deep sense of purpose, willingness to build and maintain healthy relationships, the capacity for self-reflection and ability to trust. They must be resilient, adaptable, curious, creative and resourceful. Mars One is not seeking specific skill sets such as medical doctors, pilots or geologists. Rather, candidates will receive a minimum of eight years extensive training while employed by Mars One. While any formal education or real-world experience can be an asset, all skills required on Mars will be learned while in training.

for those of you interested in staying a little closer to home, but still wanting to explore mars, check out planet four - yet another awesome citizen science project from the zooniverse. 

here is a sampling of images that you could help sift through for that project.  amazing diversity!

Planet Four (credit: david miller)

Planet Four (credit: david miller)