The Dutch businessman behind a planned one-way trip to Mars, which has received a flood of applicants from China, has dismissed accusations that the project is a scam.

Mars One has been promoted as a manned mission to establish a human colony on the red planet.

Anyone who fits the physical requirements can apply for the trip, with organizers expected to whittle the pool down to 24 to 40 candidates who will get training before a vote by television viewers will decide the four who will make the trip in 2023.