One widely shared social media post claims 20-year-old space enthusiast Alyssa Carson is preparing to become the first human on Mars.
Social media posts have claimed a 20-year-old woman called Alyssa Carson is preparing to become the first human on Mars, and that she will never return to Earth. This is not accurate. While Carson has strong ambitions to be the first person to step foot on the Red Planet, she is yet to be selected for a mission.
Carson became the first person to complete the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Passport to Explore Space program, and she has wanted to become an astronaut ever since she was 3 years old.
“She can’t get Married, She can’t have kids” reads a July 6 Facebook post by the page Space Time. “She is Preparing to Become the First Human on Mars and She will never Return to Earth.”
While Carson has expressed her hope of becoming one of the first humans on Mars, the claim is misleading and exaggerates her progress. The post also fails to mention important details about her return plans.
This is not the first time Carson has been the target of misinformation. In 2018, Snopes debunked claims that she was training with NASA to become an astronaut.
Carson is training, has not been selected for a mission.
Carson has spent most of her life preparing to go to Mars by attending space camps and advanced preparation programs, building a presence on social media and meeting with former female astronauts.
However, she has not been selected for a mission. A NASA spokesperson told, the space agency is not affiliated with Carson, and crew assignments for Mars missions have not yet been made.
NASA’s requirements to apply to be an astronaut include a master’s degree in engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science or mathematics and a minimum of two years of professional experience.
Carson is still studying for her bachelor’s degree in astrobiology at the Florida Institute of Technology, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
There are no age restrictions for the NASA program, however, selected candidates have ranged from ages 26 to 46, with the average age being 34, according to NASA.
