Mars explorers with US$200,000, guts to risk death needed: Musk

San Francisco

ENTREPRENEUR Elon Musk laid out a vision of travel to Mars that was heavy on both technology - the how of getting there - and on the dangers that await those first explorers just a decade from now.

"The first journey will be very dangerous, and the risk of fatality will be very high," Mr Musk said in response to a question during a highly anticipated presentation at the 67th International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. "Are you prepared to die? Then you are a candidate for going."