In possibly the first instance of a delayed death sentence being a negative for those involved, the mission to send people to Mars to die has been put back.
The Mars One project had originally planned to send a one-way manned mission to Mars by 2023 - but it will now aim for 2025.
Dutch chief executive Bas Lansdorp, made the announcement about the £3.6 billion project as well as saying Lockheed Martin would produce a £152,500 concept study.
Above: The Mars One colony (concept image)
Despite the guaranteed prospect of never seeing home again, over 200,000 people applied to take part.
Four would be chosen for the mission - although the reality TV style of the application process due derision from many.
Due to the long times confined in small spaces worth other people, Mars One was looking for applicants with a certain personality traits rather than experience.
"It is not necessary to have military training nor experience in flying aircraft nor even a science degree. It is most important that each applicant be intelligent, in good mental and physical health, and be willing to dedicate eight years to training and learning before making the journey to his or her new home on Mars."
"Applicants need to be at least 18 years of age, have a deep sense of purpose, willingness to build and maintain healthy relationships, the capacity for self-reflection and ability to trust.
"They must be resilient, adaptable, curious, creative and resourceful. Mars One is not seeking specific skill sets such as medical doctors, pilots or geologists.
"Rather, candidates will receive a minimum of eight years extensive training while employed by Mars One. While any formal education or real-world experience can be an asset, all skills required on Mars will be learned while in training."
The success of the venture relies on solving a vast range of problems - both financial (the first mission has an estimated cost of $6 billion) and technical.
It's not known how humans could get to Mars without incurring huge doses of radiation, for instance, or how they would be able to survive for more than a short time on the surface without a proven means to grow food or a local water supply.