Mars One, a private not-for-profit based in the Netherlands, had aimed to initiate human colonisation of Mars. The organisation declared intentions to send four astronauts on a one-way mission to the red planet by 2023, with subsequent target dates shifting to 2024, 2025, and then 2027.
The plan involved topping up astronaut numbers every few years to establish a long-term, self-sustaining settlement. Funding was intended to come from selling broadcasting rights for a reality TV show covering the decade-long astronaut training and the mission itself.
Despite 200,000 expressions of interest and nearly 3,000 formal applications, no TV deals were secured, and alternative revenue streams were questioned. Mars One filed for bankruptcy in 2019.