A 19-year-old from B.C. has successfully cleared the last round of the selection process to become the youngest candidate for the Mars One project.
On Monday, Mars One has cut 21 Canadians from its worldwide list as the non-profit foundation continues candidate selection for its planned one-way mission to the red planet.
Last December, the organization picked 1,058 candidates to enter the second round of its selection progress. Initially, more than 200,000 from 100 countries applied.
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One-third of those potential Mars settlers have been eliminated after a review of their personal and health profiles, leaving 705 candidates, including 54 Canadians, moving to the next round.
Paige Hunter is one of those 54 Canadians.
Hunter says her family is split on the prospect of her going on a one-way mission.
“My dad is fairly on board with it,” she says. “My mom does not share his enthusiasm. I can understand where she is coming from. She does not want me to leave the planet, so I can see her point as well.”
The plan is for a crew of four to depart every two years starting in 2024, with the first groups arriving in 2025.
But for now, Hunter plans to do some climbing in the Swiss Alps during the summer and enter University this fall to study international relations.
Hunter says the next step in her selection process will be a regional interview to determine if she can move on to the training stage.
With files from the Associated Press
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