Journey to Mars

Human space exploration has spawned fantasies and careers. Visionary silent film maker, George Melies created a stop motion spaceship to launch his hero to the moon. Cartoon character, George Jetson, used his jetpack to escape Earth’s gravity and space exploration fantasies have fueled decades of Star Trek television series, movies and fan conventions. Still for all our technological prowess, true manned space exploration has advanced in fits and starts – from military technology to the U.S.  Apollo mission taking “one small step for mankind;” from space shuttles to the international space station. Today politics and economic struggles have ravaged national space programs, leaving the goal of off-world exploration decimated. Privatization is keeping it on life support.

The second space age may launch from a space port in New Mexico. The site is also home of the first commercial passenger “Spaceline” company, Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and well-heeled space explorers are already taking round trip flights away from Earth’s gravitational pull.

Human space travel has a new player:

The Inspiration Mars Foundation recently announced plans to send a married couple into space for a 501 day endurance trip to Mars and back. The invitation is unique in its length and the fact that a man and woman, who have been married for some time, are being sought for the adventure. One reason is the established emotional and psychological support they could give one another. Jane Poynter, a member of the Inspiration Mars team and president of Paragon Space Development Corporation, suggests that sending a male/female couple would be ideal because it would best represent humanity. 

Whoever is chosen, the journey is sure to be full of suspense and danger. The launch date is set in 2018 at a point where Mars and Earth are closely aligned and the spacecraft could use the enormous planet’s gravity to “slingshot” back home.

So close yet so far away: The trip will culminate in a rotation 100 miles above Mars with no plans or capability to land. The flyby lowers costs and risks while increasing safety due to an 11-year low in exposure to solar radiation.

Who will go? Perhaps the chosen couple will have had experience circumnavigating the world by boat. They may already have experience in leaving everything behind and have perfected the unparalleled team work, emotional stamina and endurance required for long months at sea. In space everything will be very close in their cabin and everything outside it will be foreign. There’ll be no quick flight home to see the kids but WiFi will be provided.

Photo courtesy of San Diego Air and Space Museum