Number of people wanting one-way ticket to Mars hits 165,000 mark

Around 165,000 people have filled up application for joining an ambitious private mission to send a group of four men and women to Mars in 2023 to establish a permanent space colony on Mars.

The organisers of the Mars One mission said they have been overwhelmed by the response of the people offering to become the first astronauts to land and live on Mars, even though the plan does not involve a return trip because of the technical difficulty and cost of equipping and fuelling the trip home, the Independent reported.

Every applicant has to pay on average about 25 dollars, depending on their country, for covering the administrative costs of the selection process.

The final tally may rise further up before the deadline for applications reaches at the end of the month.