Humans are a very interesting and challenging people. God created humankind to do everything possible to protect His creation, the Earth. Yet, at the same time, God also created the stars and the Heavens. The argument is this: with so many stars, planets, galaxies and the like, is it not possible that God created other races of beings as well among the stars? We humans have seen many movies and documentaries on the possibility that there are a race of beings at our back door and they are called Martians. Why are they called this? Because we have somewhat of an understanding of our neighboring red planet called Mars and it is possible that the planet has sustained some form of life in the past and it is possible that it still does. So, us challenging and adventurous people known as the human race have been trying to find a safe, quick and easy way to send individuals to Mars. In everything that we do as humans, there is nothing that is 100 percent safe. This includes space travel and we have seen many who went to their deaths in the hope of one day being able to reach the heavens.
This is not a place to discuss the history of manned space flight because most of us know of when it pretty much began, the major risks that it had early on, and the many risks that it still has. Granted, space is nothing more than a dark void, a huge vacuum with many unknowns. Yet, with the advancement of both science and technology at the same time, humans are well aware of the risks of space travel, not just to the moon, but beyond it as well. With a greater understanding of space travel and spending much more time in space, then it is possible to send a manned mission to mars very safely. Again, leaving the confines of earth’s atmosphere is always going to be a challenge and everything has to be just right to make it work. That is why, the best people humanity has to offer work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japanese Space Agency as well as the Russian Space Agency and more.
The mission to send a human mission to Mars has been in the works as far back as humanity can remember. Especially, long before the International Space Station was on the drawing board. Since man was able to walk on the moon, the next real mission was to go to Mars. This is why so many unmanned vehicles have already been sent. Most of these unmanned vehicles made the trip without a hitch, so why can’t man make it as well? There are many variables, today, the biggest hurdle is not the safety of the individuals picked to go to Mars, but most likely the economic/financial variable. With the way the world economy is today, it is possible that most space agencies are going to have to take a long, hard look at their budgets and possibly be in the mood to start making cuts somewhere in their space agenices. This will be a shame as there are so many reasons to go to Mars and the sooner the better.
There are many ways to get to Mars. Probably, the first step is to find a way to make the trip from a vessel built on or in an orbital platform associated somehow with the ISS. Then, most likely in the wake of so many successful long stay missions on the ISS, is to select a team of astronauts who have already been on the expeditions and have them make the first mission to mars. Then the next step is to calculate how long it will take to get to the red planet. This writer has done some research and it is said with the right vehicle, probably powered by nuclear power, the trip could possibly take no more than six months, a year at the most.
With the team of scientists and doctors already assigned to NASA and the other space agencies around the world, it is possible to make a safe trip to Mars. Hopefully with the right “ingredients”, such a trip will be possible within the next 10 years if not sooner.
