• Health
  • Science
  • U.S.
  • Technology
  • Business
  • World
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Sports

Building a Better World

News and information

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Our Team

NASA: Here’s what it will take to get to Mars

February 4, 2016 By Sam Catherman

NASA: Here’s what it will take to get to Mars

NASA has an elaborate roadmap for the journey to the red planet, but will it actually work?

Astronauts, governments, and even everyday people have been eyeing Mars for quite some time now, and talk of a manned mission to the red planet has reached a point where serious questions need to be asked. A Congressional Committee recently argued that the trip to Mars is completely unfeasible, blasting NASA scientists for even thinking they could make it work by their stated goal of sometime in the 2030s.

But what will it actually take to get send the first humans to Mars? While NASA may lack the funding for such an elaborate mission (Congress estimates that it would cost over $1 trillion in investments before the trip is even possible), they certainly don’t lack the brainpower to figure out the logistics.

NASA’s plan to send humans to Mars is extremely elaborate, and is outlined in a 36 page report on their website. The agency wants to extend human presence deeper into the solar system, and it believes that Mars offers the best shot for doing so. NASA’s top officials have stated that they want people to be able to work, learn, operate, and live sustainably for extended periods of time on the red planet.

Much of the work being done in preparation for an eventual Mars journey is taking place currently on the International Space Station. Working together with 11 other space agencies, NASA’s research activities align with the Global Exploration Roadmap, a framework that outlines how humans may one day extend their range beyond the confines of the Earth.

NASA’s key strategic principles for space exploration seek to make the journey as feasible and worthwhile as possible. Most importantly, the agency is trying to be realistic about their funding – they want a near-term budget that could be implemented to achieve actual results, and they want to be assured that this funding will be available for longer time frames.

NASA also seeks to further our understanding of worlds outside of the Earth, by applying high technology and continuing to develop tools that will be essential for man’s survival away from Earth.

Most importantly, NASA wants to get the ball rolling and keep it rolling. The agency has a number of near-term probe launching projects that will keep our interest in Mars strong, hoping that one day their progress will help the first human step foot on the red planet.

A NASA press release describing the nuts and bolts of a manned Mars mission can be found here.

 

Sharing

Facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Filed Under: Front Page, Science

Comments

  1. Jason says

    February 4, 2016 at 2:29 pm

    Bibical thoughts aside, there are many obstacles that need to be overcome before a human, or any life form for that matter, could even travel a fraction of the distances to Mars. Many people think it is just a matter of having enough water, food, and oxygen. This is no camping trip like we have ever seen before! There are many things that people don’t understand concerning the effectes of space on living life forms. Like the massive amounts of radiation that our planets electromagnetic field and atmosphere protection us from. Even the ISS (International Space Station) is protected from most of this radiation as it is only about 250 miles above the earth as where Magnetosphere is thousands of miles in coverage. Blocking this radiation is not as easy as building a lead layers space ship. Search Google or NASA for Space Radiation and Magnetosphere. http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews/factsheets/pdfs/radiation.pdf

    Reply
    • Jason says

      February 4, 2016 at 2:44 pm

      According to NASA, MARIE is in orbit around Mars and continues to measure the
      amount of harmful radiation at the planet itself. Unlike Earth, Mars does not have a global magnetic field to shield it from
      solar flares and cosmic rays. Mars’ atmosphere is also less
      than one percent as thick as the Earth’s.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Us

Facebookrss

Search:

Recent Posts

  • NASA’s InSight spacecraft makes important course correction May 26, 2018
  • Scientists outraged at latest Trump decision May 15, 2018
  • Huge uproar erupts over major incident at Utah park May 13, 2018
  • Incredible moon discovery stuns scientists May 12, 2018
  • Authorities shocked by discovery about common painkiller May 6, 2018
  • Outrageous crocodile experiment stuns scientists May 5, 2018
  • Great Barrier Reef is too quiet, scientists say May 1, 2018
  • Massive Hiroshima bomb discovery shocks scientists May 1, 2018
  • Earth will be slammed by massive asteroid April 29, 2018
  • Teens are doing something incredibly alarming in schools April 29, 2018
  • Huge discovery in Tasmania stuns scientists April 28, 2018
  • Shocking discovery in New Jersey stuns authorities April 22, 2018
  • Huge volcanic explosion could wipe out the United States April 21, 2018
  • Huge controversy erupts over world’s hottest pepper April 15, 2018
  • SpaceX is about to do something astonishing April 15, 2018

Copyright © 2022 Jones Kilmartin Group, LLC · Metro Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress