If I got picked, I would leave my family and spend the rest of my life on Mars.

It's a tough decision, of course. My son will be 14 by the time they launch the rocket in 2023, if they actually make it happen. My parents and wife haven't strongly opposed the idea, but only because they think the odds of me being picked are too small to worry about.

Life is too short. I really want to do something meaningful, not just for myself but also for society. It is not easy.

I have a very stable job at a State-run department in Hebei province. Every day is a nine-to-five routine. I applied to be a volunteer at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, but failed in the final round. The Mars One project gives me another chance. If I fail, I will keep trying for other opportunities.

I am not saying I have absolutely no problem with leaving my son and my life on earth, but there is always a time to say goodbye. My son will grow up, leave home and maybe call me occasionally. I could also call him from Mars. I studied biology at college and I am sure I could contribute on Mars. That would make my family proud of me.

Li Dapeng, 31, father of a 4-year-old boy

The idea of living on Mars comes from my favorite book Robinson Crusoe. I have dreamed of being an adventurer and explorer since I was a little kid, making a living in an isolated place by myself. I admire people who survive in harsh environments using their skills and willpower.

I don't know much about Mars or space science, but I am willing to learn. I have been practicing my English lately, just in case I am picked for the next round.

I am always curious about the universe. Near my home in Wuhan, Hubei province, there is a big lake and my favorite thing to do every summer is lie by the lake at night and look at the stars. They are so distant and beautiful, but sometimes they seem so close that I feel I could touch them. It's not easy to watch the stars through the polluted air in cities, so I'm lucky that I can enjoy the night sky. I hope I will be lucky again and be picked as one of the first humans to land on Mars.

Min Keying, A 20-year-old actress and model. She is one of only three women among 25 Chinese applicants who published their applications on the Mars One website.

I have had a lot new experiences since signing up for the Mars One project. A couple of newspapers have written about me and I was interviewed by the Beijing television channel, so I have been on TV for the first time in my life.

I have learned a lot about astronomy and space travel, not from movies and fiction, but from academic sources. I have been practicing English and started working out.

I won't regret it if the plan fails or I don't get picked, because what I have got from it is totally worth the $11 registration fee.

Space travel has been a long-time dream. I once saw a 3D movie at Beijing's science museum about the planets and the universe. I saw Mercury, Mars, the solar system and the shiny, colorful nebulae. They were so beautiful and so close. It was like I could touch them with my fingers. It would be so much cooler to go there rather than spending 30 yuan ($4.80) watching a movie about it.

Yan Huiming, A 22-year-old game designer from Beijing

(China Daily USA 05/24/2013 page5)