Funding
The project will be funded by various sources, including corporate sponsorship money and one-off donations. At present, Mars One has more than 20 major sponsors and has raised an additional $100,000 through private donations. However, the vast majority of money will be raised through the selling of television rights. The project intends to document the entire mission through the use of reality television. This reality TV element will play a role in the astronaut selection process and it is hoped that the training and the first years of living on Mars will also be broadcast around the world, as part of a historic, global television event. "What we want to do is tell the story to the world," explained Bas Lansdorp, the project's leader. "When humans go to Mars, when they settle on Mars and build a new Earth; a new planet...we want to share the story with the entire world."