Would you say you’re in love? Would you say you know your partner so well that you could survive anything? Is your relationship so strong it could survive stuck in a cramped space for 16 months with no one else to talk to?
If so, then a private mission backed by the world’s first space tourist is looking for you.
Inspiration Mars, a non-profit venture without NASA involvement, wants to send a married couple to the Red Planet within the next five years. The project, which includes multi-millionaire Dennis Tito, will place the lucky pair to within 100 miles of the planet’s surface in time for a once in a generation close orbit between Earth and Mars.
They intend to use a space capsule and private rocket adding in some sort of inflatable to bring the mission to life. Using their planned basic design they want to show that space travel can be done at a fraction of the cost that NASA does it for. They will minimal food and clothing while their urine will be recycled into drinking water.
The proposed launch will be January 5, 2018, with a Mars fly by on August 20 followed by a return to Earth on May 21 2019. They are also hoping that the use of a married couple will be both emotional and symbolic as this will not be an easy trip.
Nasa’s former Mars mission chief, Scott Hubbard, says the project is large on inspiration but short on technical details.
Taber McCallum, who lived for two years in a sealed environment, the Biosphere 2, a giant terrarium that was supposed to replicate a mission to another planet, says it will be hard for the couple but would not be drawn on costs. Outsiders have estimated the whole trip will cost around £600 million.
One thing’s for sure, if there’s a way to do it, humanity will.
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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