Man’s surprising reaction to wife’s one-way trip to Mars

THE husband of an astronaut shortlisted for a Mars mission has revealed why he and her children support her decision to sign up for the one-way trip.

THE husband of a woman short-listed to go on a one-way trip to Mars has expressed his support of her decision.

Jason Stanford’s wife, Sonia Van Meter, 36, is one of 100 people who have been selected to set up a permanent human colony on Mars as part of the controversial Mars One mission. Seven Australians are also among the final 100.

In an article published in Texas Monthly, Mr Stanford, from Virginia in the US, has admitted that although letting go of his wife will be difficult, his loss is “humanity’s gain”.

“If [Mars One] succeeds in its mission — establishing a sustainable colony on another planet — it would change the history of humanity by expanding our boundaries beyond this planet,” Stanford writes in the 4000-word essay.

“This was bigger than me,” he says.

Another planet ... A depiction of what life on Mars may look like.

Mars One, the privately funded mission of Dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp, aims to have the first four “marstronauts” depart Earth for the red planet in 2026. Following the initially launch, four more people will be sent to Mars every two years. According to the Mars One website, the journey from Earth to Mars is expected to take around seven months.

ARE THESE GUYS FOR REAL? Is Mars compatible with celebrity TV?

The project has been widely criticised by scientists, and former NASA employee Dr Joseph Roche, who was linked with the mission, dropped out in March amid claims that it was a big scam.

Ms Van Meter, who is scheduled to begin training for the mission next year, is stepmother to Mr Stanford’s two sons Henry, 13, and Hatcher, 11, and has been accused of abandoning her family.

Big dreams ... Sonia Van Meter hopes to live on Mars as part of the Mars One mission. Picture: Twitter

“People attacked Sonia, accusing her repeatedly of abandoning her family, of seeking glory at the expense of her earthbound obligations,” Mr Stanford wrote.

“She’s been asked how she could abandon me more times than most people have been asked if they want fries with that.”

But, despite the criticism, Ms Van Meter is not without her supporters.

“My sons and I support her, as does her dad and extended family. Generally speaking, nerds think she’s cool, women admire her bravery, and kids think this is all very real, an idea I have not yet accepted.”

The trip to Mars is not without its risks — a 2014 study by MIT says that oxygen levels on the planet are too unstable for human life, while a 2013 study suggests that astronauts on Mars One will be exposed to dangerously high levels of radiation, which means participants will have a high chance of developing radiation-induced cancers. This is another fear that’s weighing on Mr Stanford’s mind.

One-way ticket ... Would you live on Mars?

However, with the trip still several years away, he holds some hope that it won’t go ahead, but admits that “playing the odds has not worked so far”. In the meantime, he says he has decided to accept his role as “astronaut wife”.

“We’re just an ordinary married couple in an extraordinary situation, and we’re taking it one small step for man at a time.”