“Let’s send Kobus to Mars,” is something you will never hear coming out of NASA mission controller’s mouth. The likelihood that a South African would be chosen to go to space, let alone to form a human colony on Mars is not very strong. But through private and public funding, the Mars One Expedition may do just that.

Not only is a manned mission to Mars the next tier of space exploration, it’s also the greatest social experiment in history. Kobus Vermeulen is one of 1058 people that has been selected from the initial pool of more than 200,000 candidates from around the world to compete in the second round of the selection process. If he makes it all the way through, he will colonise Mars with a small band of selected explorers.

However, many critics think that the expedition is incredibly unrealistic, with Wired.com calling it “audacious,” and “not plausible.”

30-year-old Kobus agreed to chat with 2oceansvibe about his goals, expertise and future, should he become one of the “lucky few” that gets to leave Earth and never come back.

Q: When you first heard of Mars One, what were your thoughts on the likelihood of this endeavour being realised, and what inspired you to apply?

At first I thought it unlikely to succeed but, as I read up on the plan and how they want to raise the funds, I came to realise that the plan has just the right amount of crazy to work. At the time the wired.com article had been written Lockheed Martin and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited had not been officially involved yet. Neither was Dr. Robert Zubrin, who wrote the book The Case for Mars, has presented plans for manned Mars missions to U.S. Congress and NASA, and is one of the leading proponents of manned space exploration.

Once I felt that the mission could succeed applying came quite naturally to me. What do you do if you’ve been staring up at the stars all your life and you get given half a chance to go? Why, you click “apply” of course.

Q: On your application page it says, “I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro, and jumped out of an airplane, now I want to go to Mars.” What encouraged you to do those two things, and how do you relate it to the possibility of living on the red planet?

Climbing Kilimanjaro was all about getting to know myself better: physically and mentally.Preparation was hard work and required a lot of getting up to go hiking when everyone else was still asleep. My skydiving experience was a similar one. I chose to do the actual advanced free falling level 1 course because then you have to jump out yourself and open your own parachute.Two experienced skydivers hold on to your arms and legs, but you’re not strapped to anybody and you have to guide your own chute down. Your life is in your own hands.

Living on Mars will require a lot of sacrifices and a lot of going where angels fear to tread. I think having experienced some of the extremes that life has to offer likely helps. I’ll be able to dig a bit deeper, and have a better understanding of where my true limits are than someone who hasn’t experienced anything like it before. At least, that’s the theory.

Q: Have you watched Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity? If so, are you sure you still want to go to Mars? Like, really sure?

Yes, I have seen Gravity and I can honestly say that it does not affect my opinion in the slightest. Like, really. Before climbing Kilimanjaro I watched a lot of Everest documentaries with cold dead skeletons sticking out of the snow. While it gives you a healthy sense of respect of the tallest peaks it certainly did not scare me away. When doing something like this you have to understand the implications and risks involved. I understand them and still want to go.

A mantra that many people say without thinking is “there’s nothing to fear but fear itself”. It’s actually one that fits in nicely here; the idea that something is scary or risky, so you shouldn’t do it.

Q: Although Mars One is privately funded, and has no ties with NASA, there are big dreams and goals for this expedition. After all, if everything pans out, you’re going to carry the baton of humanity with you to a new planet. Why do you think people should entrust this huge task to you, and what are your plans for living on Mars, that you would deem beneficial for humankind as a whole?

It’s true that Mars One does not have any ties to NASA itself, but to stop people who might read that statement critically I feel I have to add that many people who are, or have been, involved with NASA or the European Space Agency are advisers to the project.

I can write you an epic poem about the greatness of Kobus, but in the end this task should only be given to those who make it through the next 2 selection rounds and, eventually, onto the rocket. All I can do is my best, and if it turns out that that’s not good enough, then I’d be disappointed, but gladly give the baton to someone more qualified.

Just having people up there on Mars will be beneficial for mankind. Having a group that represents more than one country would be even better. People need that. They need it for progress.

Q: Astronauts, as they have trained their whole life to do, are ready to leave anything and everything on Earth behind. On top of that, the Mars One expedition is planned as a one way trip. Are you ready for the eventuality of cutting ties with all those on earth that you love?

It’s hard to say that you could ever be ready for such a moment.Obviously emotions will run high and could be overwhelming if the actual day comes. I’m under no illusions that it will be hard, uncomfortable, dangerous, and even lonely. I understand the fact that I’d never see my friends and family again, pet a dog, or swim in the ocean. I get that the rocket could blow up on the launchpad, or slam into Mars, or miss the planet altogether leaving us drifting around in space. All things said and done, though, I’d climb in today if they’d let me. If life is about chasing your dreams then this must be what doing it right feels like.

I understand the fact that I’d never see my friends and family again, pet a dog, or swim in the ocean. I get that the rocket could blow up on the launchpad, or slam into Mars, or miss the planet altogether leaving us drifting around in space.

Here at 2oceansvibe, we seem to be quite content to remain enslaved in our cubicles under the stern  leadership of our all powerful supreme leader, Seth Rotherham. But we wish Kobus well on his (possible) trip to Mars.  

Salut!