Tampa, Fla. - A 43-year-old self-employed Tampa man has made it past the first hurdle in a selection process to potentially choose the first team to attempt not only a manned mission to the planet Mars, but its colonization. <\/p>\n
Hampton Black, a former NASA employee, received an email in December telling him that he is one of 1,058 finalists who could potentially be a part of the \"Mars One\" mission. \"Mars One\" is an organization seeking crowd-funding for an effort to land humans on Mars in 2025. The mission would be a one-way trip. <\/p>\n
\"My heart is there, you know? I want to be a part of this mission,\" Black said. <\/p>\n
In comparison to planet Earth, Mars is far from hospitable. Frequent sub-zero temperatures, radiation, and an unbreathable atmosphere would be just a few of the challenges facing astronauts who would seek to live on the red planet. <\/p>\n
Black said the mission is for the good of all humanity. He maintained the Earth should not be the human race's only home. <\/p>\n
\"We just commit ourselves to this one planet, and this planet only? We're not going to be around here too much longer,\" said Black. <\/p>\n
Ann Marie Slavik, Black's girlfriend, said she supports his goal of relocating permanently to Mars. <\/p>\n
\"If he should go, of course I would be sad, but it's not my style to stand in front of somebody's dream,\" she said. <\/p>\n
To learn more about the \"Mars One\" organization, visit http:\/\/www.mars-one.com<\/a> . <\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read the original here: Tampa, Fla. - A 43-year-old self-employed Tampa man has made it past the first hurdle in a selection process to potentially choose the first team to attempt not only a manned mission to the planet Mars, but its colonization Continue reading
\nTampa man one step closer to Mars?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"