Perth model has Martian ambitions
A Perth model, actor and "ladies entertainer" has been shortlisted as one of the potential first human inhabitants of Mars.
Korum Ellis, 30, is a swimwear model and actor who is also available as a topless waiter and for nude life drawing parties, according to his website.
But after 2024, Mr Ellis might be a little harder to get hold of, after being shortlisted along with 1057 others around the world by the Mars One project.
The private spaceflight project is a non-profit organisation that plans to establish a permanent human colony on Mars by 2025, led by Dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp.
In 2024, Mars One intends to launch four applicants in a Mars-bound spaceflight to become the first residents on the red planet, with every step of the journey to be documented for a reality television program.
Mr Ellis was one of dozens of Australians among 200,000 global applicants to be considered to become part of the talent pool to potentially blast off into human history, and has now been placed on the shortlist for the next stage of the project.
The Scarborough man is one of three West Australians to make the second round.
"All my endeavour and learning have led to this. I am the next Martian," he wrote in his online application.
"My interests are hinged on the development of humanity."
The project already has agreements with aerospace giant Lockheed Martin and satellite company Surrey Satellite Technology to develop mission plans for an unmanned 2018 mission.
The next stage of the selection process will take place over two years, with what project organisers say will be "rigorous simulations" to test the physical and emotional capabilities of the candidates.
Negotiations with media companies for the rights to televise the selection processes are ongoing.
“I’m comfortable by myself and at the same time I’m often on show with my acting, so I feel like that environment wouldn’t make me uncomfortable," Mr Ellis said.
"I’m kind of conditioned to it already.
“To see Earth disappear into a little blue dot, I think that would be the biggest emotional wall to get over, but I’m happy to go through that pain for the purpose of the project."
