Man On Mars? NASA Says It's Happening -- And Soon

[writer not writing]

We're going to Mars -- and we're going in the not-too-distant future.

NASA says preparations for a manned mission to the Red Planet are proceeding as planned, with humans expected to first foot on Mars in the 2030s.

"We are farther down the path to sending humans to Mars than at any point in NASA's history," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said at an event last week, according to Space.com. "We have a lot of work to do to get humans to Mars, but we'll get there."

That work includes completing the development of the rockets and spacecraft that will get humans there and back again, including the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, which are still being tested.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nasa-manned-mars-mission_55ffb59fe4b00310edf79c6d?utm_hp_ref=world&ir=World§ion=world

I'm a sucker for stories like this, but they need to replace the word humans with Americans. as I strongly suspect the Chinese will already be there.

[left-of-center2012]

1. Soon

2030s
I guess 'soon' depends upon one's perspective.

[writer not writing]

2. Yeah

If you're 20 years old, it probably does seem soon. I suspect you are way beyond that age. As am I.

[MisterP]

3. "fusion power is 10 years down the road"--scientists every 10 years

[struggle4progress]

4. It woulds be a incredible waste of resources: more could be done remotely and at much lower cost

[Uncle Joe]

5. This stunning photo of the Earth on your link caught my eye

This photo was among the first images taken by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite.

Thanks for the thread, writer not writing.

[Beartracks]

7. If that's Earth, we are in serious trouble!!

That's actually an ultraviolet view of the Sun:

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-04/nasa-reveals-solar-dynamics-observatorys-first-fiery-images?image=0

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[Uncle Joe]

8. By George, you're correct, the blue and green colors threw me off.

Thanks for the correction, Beartracks.

[Fearless]

6. China doesn't care about Mars

[MrScorpio]

9. They've too busy trying to figure out how to land a man in Taiwan…

Along with a couple hundred thousand of his friends.