Sophomore seeking one-way ticket to Mars

Patrick Ford, sophomore physics major and astronomy minor at FIU, is seeking a one-way ticket to Mars as an applicant of the Mars One Project, which plans to establish a human settlement of 24 astronauts on the planet in 2023.

The chosen candidates will undergo a decade’s worth of training to equip the future astronauts with technical and medical skills, psychological coaching, and simulated experience.

The Miami Herald Herald featured the aspiring astronaut in the article, “Mars or bust: FIU student wants one-way ticket.” The reporter, Madison Fantozzi, is also an FIU student who writes for the South Florida News Service. The Service offers FIU School of Journalism and Mass Communication students the opportunity to publish in major newspapers in South Florida.