NASA reviews its early plans to send astronauts to Mars for 30 days

NASA reviewed its main objectives for a 30-day Mars mission, carrying two astronauts on board, and asked the public to provide feedback on how the plan was going.

Observations were due to be submitted by the public on May 31 as a deadline, but this deadline was recently extended to June 3.

After reaching Mars' orbit by space rocket, two astronauts will go to the surface of the planet while two more will remain in orbit, and there, the two pilots will be able to receive supplies sent to the site in advance thanks to a 25-ton unit that provides energy and mobility.

NASA aims to launch astronauts to Mars by the late 1930s or early 1940s.

1. Transforming this vision into a reality is a major challenge
2. assuming that finance and technology enter in a timely manner
3. for example, round-trip travel time will remain around 500 days given the distance between Earth and Mars.

The issue of gravity may be a real problem, as astronauts will arrive on the red planet after months in microgravity and face an important path to recovery, even to work in the partial gravity of Mars, which is approximately one third of Earth's gravity, and NASA suggests that one way to address this problem may be for crew members to live in a compressed rover during their mission.

NASA Director of Space Architects Curt Vogel said: "We want to intensify scientific research so that we allow them to roam before they are adapted enough to wear spacesuits, walk in 30 days."

• The mission plan is still in its early stages and could significantly change
• and NASA envisages using a habitat
• like spacecraft to transport crew members to the Red Planet, using a hybrid missile phase (chemical and electric propulsion)
• On a trip similar to what was seen on the Oplo programme, four people will make the long journey, with two people descending on the roof.

According to NASA, approximately 25 tons of supplies and equipment will be ready and waiting for the crew, and will be delivered by a previous robotic mission. These supplies will include a crew boarding craft, already equipped with fuel and ready to go for astronauts to get it out of Mars and back into orbit around the planet.

NASA is focusing on launching its unmanned Artemis 1 mission on Earth to prepare for astronaut missions to the Moon in the 1920s, where NASA considered that the Moon mission would contribute to the preparation of the Mars mission.