Mars One, a project dedicated into sending people on a one-way trip to Mars, has hired ex-NASA contractor Kristian von Bengston as their Outpost and Capsule Project Manager, to develop a training ground for the selected astronauts.
After the Mars One Mission announcement in April 2013 about giving civilians a one-way ticket to Mars, over 200,000 people have signed up. The sign-up period has been officially closed and four lucky people will be chosen to join the second trip in 2025.
"Mars One is now entering phases were hardware must be produced to begin training of our selected astronauts and Kristian von Bengtson is a person we are confident can help us doing that. We are happy to have such a dedicated and experienced person joining us, in our goal of creating a permanent settlement on Mars," co-founder and General Director of Mars One, Bas Landsdorp stated in a press release.
Kristian von Bengston has over 15 years of outpost and capsule design experience focusing on prototype production as well as man-machine connection. He has worked with NASA and ESA in projects like mission planning and designing suborbital capsules.
His specialization lies in developing a prototype into an actual and functioning hardware. For ambitious projects like Mars One, his talent is really needed.
When asked about his involvement in the project, von Bengston said in the press release, "Mars One is a unique and very important project which will keep mankind on the path of curiosity, science and exploration. I am very happy to have become a part of this project and the challenges are so interesting and tough that I feel right at home. I will do my best, as a Mars One team member, to bring humans all the way to Mars for a permanent settlement."
The mission launch was originally set to 2023 but had to be moved to 2025 sending the first four people. Every two years, the mission will send additional four people. Bas Lansdorp, co-founder and CEO of Mars One, also mentioned that he is planning to develop space vehicles that can carry more than four people.
