NASA Journey to the Red Planet

Have you ever fancied a trip to Mars? It may seem like a far-fetched idea, but did you know that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the United States is already on a mission to send space travellers to the Red Planet in the 2030s?

For decades, NASA and its partners have been sending orbiters, landing craft and rovers to Mars to pave the way for future astronauts to make the life-changing journey. Curiosity has been gathering data on radiation to help protect future explorers, while the Mars 2020 rover is to gauge the availability of vital resources like oxygen.

There's still a lot to learn in the human race's quest to explore the solar system. Studies are ongoing to ascertain if Mars has ever been home to microbial life or whether any such life exists there today. Scientists are hoping the Red Planet can teach us more about Earth's past, present and future.

Three stages have been identified in relation to humans moving further from earth:

1. Earth Reliant

Earth Reliant comprises exploration and research on board the International Space Station - an orbiting laboratory that tests the technology and communications systems required for humans to travel into deep space. Astronauts are finding out what's required to live in space for long periods, with a view to improving our understanding of changes that take place in the human body and how to protect our health.

NASA also works with its commercial crew and cargo partners to gain access to low-earth orbit, with the aim of stimulating economic activity to permit NASA's continued use of the station, while planning missions beyond.

2. Proving Ground

The second milestone, known as Proving Ground, involves NASA carrying out a number of missions near the moon in "cislunar space" to test the skills and capabilities humans would need to live and work on Mars. The proving ground is days away from earth and is considered a "stepping stone" to a mission to Mars, which would be months away from the earth.

NASA is planning to launch its powerful new rocket, the Space Launch System, from its Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The mission will see the Orion spacecraft sent on a three-week unmanned mission, travelling thousands of miles beyond the moon. If this is successful, Orion will be sent on a similar mission, this time with astronauts aboard, who will travel further than humans have ever travelled before.

NASA also aims to send astronauts on a 12-month mission into deep space in the 2020s, to verify that it’s habitable and to test humans' readiness to live on Mars. Part of this stage of the programme is the Asteroid Redirect Mission. This involves a robotic spacecraft capturing an asteroid boulder and putting it into safe orbit around the moon. Orion's astronauts will explore the asteroid and return to earth with samples, testing deep space walking and sampling techniques. This mission will also test Solar Electric Propulsion as a means of transporting cargo for humans' missions to Mars.

3. Earth Independent

The third and final phase of the programme, Earth Independent, involves NASA scientists building on what they've learned both in deep space and on the space station, to send people to low-Mars orbit. The planned date for this mission is the early 2030s.

The phase involves testing the entry techniques needed to get to Mars, and the descent and landing techniques. It also involves research into whether humans could "live off the land" on Mars, with scientists researching exploration zones to see if they can provide resources that astronauts can use.

The next rover mission will take place in 2020 - scientists will also carry out a robotic demonstration of a round-trip in the late 2020s.

NASA believes Mars is a tangible frontier for the human race and that it's an achievable goal. Although there are still challenges to overcome, scientists believe they can be solved and that humans are well on their way to safely arriving at and living on Mars.

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