It seems that NASA and experts from the private sector are now in agreement on our Mars aspirations. These officials are now saying that it is within the realm of practical possibility to send a manned mission to Mars sometime in the next two decades.
Top officials from NASA, as well as Buzz Aldrin, will discuss Mars and its related projects at a three day conference in Washington DC. The conference is set to begin on Monday.
According to a survey conducted by the non-profit group Explore Mars and Boeing, the American public is in favor of sending a manned mission to the red planet. The March poll found that 71% of Americans expect that we'll land humans on Mars by 2033. This renewed interest in space travel has caused quite a stir in the aerospace community.
So far, this has not been reflected in NASA's funding, which at this time is only 0.5% of the federal budget. Scientists are hopeful this will change in the near future, with 75% of the polled Americans stating that NASA's budget should be doubled in order to fund a mission to Mars.
NASA chief Charles Bolden stressed that "a human mission to Mars is a priority."
"If we started today, it's possible to land on Mars in 20 years," G. Scott Hubbard of Stanford University added. Hubbard was NASA's first Mars program director.
"It doesn't require miracles, it requires money and a plan to address the technological engineering challenges," he stated.
The latest unmanned Mars mission, Curiosity, is hunting for evidence of water in preparation for a possible Mars habitat. NASA meanwhile is currently developing a Space Launch System and the Orion capsule for future, distant space travel.
Additionally, Hubbard states that a nuclear engine may be necessary for such a long trip, as it would decrease the travel time as well as reduce the risk of radiation. Development on such a technology is still ongoing.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
