A controversial project to give a group of pioneers a one way ticket to Mars has admitted it will be delayed by several years.

The Mars One project had aimed to send a manned crew to the red planet by 2026, but a string of delays has pushed the timeline back.

Citing money troubles as the source, the project has revealed an updated plan which won’t see a crew blast off until 2031.

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The Mars One project had aimed to send a manned crew to the red planet by 2026, but a string of delays has pushed the timeline back. Pictured is an artist's impression of the colony on Mars as it will look in 2028 (now 2031) as the third crew departs from Earth

The project has been controversial from the outset, with many describing it as a publicity seeking scam.

Its founders claim it is a route to establishing a permanent colony on our planetary neighbour, but will need to raise almost £4 billion ($5bn) to get the first four-man crew onto Mars.

However, the project has suffered numerous setbacks, with the timelines shifting further back.

The first component of the mission - an unmanned craft testing mission capabilities - was set to launch in 2018, but has been pushed back multiple times and now looks unlikely before 2022.

Citing money troubles as the source, the project has revealed an updated plan which won’t see a crew blast off for Mars until 2031

According to a statement release yesterday, the most recent delays are down to a ‘new financial strategy’, which include listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

The project is made up of two arms, British company Mars One Ventures and the Dutch Mars One Foundation.

Co-founder and CEO of Mars One, Bas Lansdorp, said in a statement: ‘Mars One can only implement the mission to Mars if we can afford it – and we need investments to get going.

‘Being listed on a stock exchange will make fundraising more straightforward.

‘In order to make Mars One's commercial activities an attractive investment with the potential of a good return on investment, Mars One had to adjust the timing of the planned unmanned and manned missions.

He added: ‘This pushes the large expenses associated with the mission hardware back in time, making the company cash positive sooner.

‘The delay we are currently announcing is also because it took us longer to get to this point than we originally anticipated.’

WHAT IS MARS ONE? A privately funded, nonprofit project, Mars One was set up by Dutch energy entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp and European Space Agency scientist Arno Wielders. It aims to create a permanent human settlement on Mars starting in 2031. A new four-person crew will depart every two years. Mars One says its spacecraft will be built using existing technology. It's a one-way ticket. Mars One will establish habitable inflatable pods with life-support systems and units for growing fresh food, but due to initial costs, in the short term there will be no launch facilities for a return rocket. Mars One is planning to raise funds through private investors and media exposure. A reality TV deal with the maker of Big Brother has fallen through and it is now negotiating with other companies. Putting the first four people on Mars will cost £3.9 billion ($6.1 billion), according to Mars One. Nasa's estimates for a two-way mission are around £65 billion ($100 billion). Earlier this year, the project had only raised around £500,000 ($780,000). Advertisement

Experienced astronauts have cast doubt on the project's chances of success and whether it is possible to send a manned crew to Mars (pictured) in the timeline

As part of the process, Mars One had said a reality TV show would see a shortlisted crew of candidates and trained astronauts, selected by the public.

Earlier this year, the project revealed its shortlist of 100 candidates, whittling down from 200,000 to just 50 men and 50 women.

The chosen 100 include 33 from the US, 31 come from Europe, 16 from Asia, seven from Africa and seven from Australia.

According to the revised timeline, three to six groups of four crew members will be selected from this pool of potentials and will undergo training from next year.

Mars One's Surface Habitat Environment Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) is the infrastructure that the company says will keep its astronauts alive. Shown is an artist's impression of the habitat

In the early 2020s Mars One says it plans to place a lander on the surface, shown here, before a rover and ultimately humans follow

Among the most difficult aspects of creating a habitat on Mars are the size and shape of the structure (interior illustrated). A demonstration mission is due to be sent to Mars to test technologies in 2020

MARS ONE'S REVISED TIMELINE 2022 (was 2020) The first launch of the mission is set to be an unmanned demonstration mission sent to Mars. Mars One will use the same platform design as the 2007 NASA Phoenix mission, and plans to work with the same supplier (Lockheed Martin). 2024: Dedicated Mars synchronous Communications satellite sent to Mars 2026 (was 2022) Rover that will select the settlement location sent to Mars 2029 (was 2024) Launch all hardware and a second rover. The two rovers prepare the settlement for the arrival of the manned crew. Life support systems will have produced water and a breathable atmosphere before the first astronauts depart 2031 (was 2026) First crew of four astronauts departs and travels to Mars in approximately 7 months 2032 (was 2027) Landing on Mars of first crew and of the hardware for the second crew 2034 (was 2028) Landing of the second crew and the hardware for third crew Source: Mars One Advertisement

By 2031, the Mars One selection committee will then determine which crews are eligible to make the journey, with the final votes being cast by the public in a reality TV show.

However, Mars One parted ways with entertainment company Endemol - the makers of Big Brother, who had initially backed the project.

Experienced astronauts have cast doubt on the project's chances of success and whether it is possible.

Chris Hadfield, former commander of the International Space Station, recently told Elmo Keep, writing in Medium that the mission may not deliver on this promise.