Officers from the Mars One project have announced that an unmanned mission to the Red Planet will be launched by 2018. According to CBS News, it will have a relay station for communications in orbit, a gear that generates water, solar panels made out of thin film and even a lander that comes with a robotic arm.

The lander will get its design from the 2007 Phoenix Mars that was developed before for NASA. The 2007 Phoenix Mars was made by Lockheed Martin, which is currently one of the major aerospace companies in the world. According to the report, Bas Lansdorp, Mars One founder and CEO, informed reporters that the foundation has already signed contracts with the aerospace company, together with Surrey Satellite Technology, for the 2018 mission.

Mr Lansdorp mentioned that the making of the spacecraft and rockets to be used for launching will get its funding from various corporate sponsors and donors. The foundation will also get additional funding from campaigns for the public's knowledge.

CNN wrote that this first ever Mars mission will show technology that could lead to the possibility of permanent settlement of humans in the Red Planet. If everything will be successful, then the first pioneer settlers may most probably land by 2025.

The Mars One mission has created such high craze since the project was announced last April. In fact, more than 200,000 individuals have signed up to be one of the pioneers to colonise the Red Planet despite the prospect of never coming back to Earth. The period for the application has already ended and as 2013 ends, the company will soon inform those who made it to Round 2 of applications. From roughly 200,000 applicants, Mars One will select 40 individuals who will be a step closer to being the first humans to settle on Mars, the LA Times wrote.

Mr Lansdorp added that their utmost priority is to produce liquid water in the planet. The Mars One mission will also bring winning projects from experiment contests joined in by universities worldwide.

For now, Mars One is constantly working hard exploring a wide range of scenarios for funding the ambitious project.

(Video Credit: YouTube/ZakWorldNEWS)