S ending astronauts to the surface of the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years remains one of NASA’s key ambitions. The space agency hopes a crew of four will land close to the lunar south pole in 2026, a year after another crew is sent around the Moon and back. The idea is that they’ll set up a mini-greenhouse, conduct experiments and discover more about Earth’s natural satellite. It’s exciting for sure, taking humans beyond the International Space Station and heralding a new era in space exploration. But are there plans to allow crews to travel even further? There certainly are. NASA and other space agencies also have Mars in their sights, and if the plans ever get off the ground, they’ll put people on or close to the Red Planet for the very first time.
5 REASONS WE NEED TO GO TO MARS
Why getting humankind to the Red Planet is so important
1Testing technologies for space exploration
A manned mission to the Red Planet will involve state-of-the art technology, but Mars also offers the opportunity to test our new spacecraft and instruments to the extreme. While we haven’t landed any humans on Martian soil as of yet, every mission that we have and will continue to send in the future will yield important information from their surroundings. This data will serve as a stepping stone, paving the way for human exploration and the technology that will get us to Mars.
5 REASONS WE NEED TO GO TO MARS
Why getting humankind to the Red Planet is so important
1Testing technologies for space exploration
A manned mission to the Red Planet will involve state-of-the art technology, but Mars also offers the opportunity to test our new spacecraft and instruments to the extreme. While we haven’t landed any humans on Martian soil as of yet, every mission that we have and will continue
