Ex-President George H. W. Bush created the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). The purpose of this initiative was to send humans to explore Mars and find a possibility of life in another planet other than Earth. In 2004, the Bush administration started to say that by 2020 there would be a manned mission to Mars, but they needed to raise a billion dollars more. Budget issues started to arise and things got pushed back but raising NASA’s budget would help accomplish everything they haven’t been able to before. Budget issues are the most important part in order for this to happen, if this issue were to be resolved then by 2030 manned missions to Mars would become possible. Bush really though that in order for the U.S.A to become leaders of the world they had to become leaders of space first and that it was our destiny to explore. “Mankind is drawn to the heavens for the same reason we were once drawn to unknown lands and across the open sea,” Bush said “We choose to explore space because doing so improves our lives and lifts our national spirit. So let us continue the journey.”
There have even been created non-profit foundations like Mars One whose goal is to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars. Crews will depart for their one-way journey to Mars starting in 2026; subsequent crews will depart every 26 months after the initial crew has left for Mars. It is an initiative to make everyone’s mission to go to Mars and create a life there. They have literally taken Bush’s plan and it is already set in motion and it has become a reality. By this time they have already selected the first crew to travel and by 2017 they will begin their trainings.
References:
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3950099/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/bush-sets-new-course-moon-beyond/#.VuEAf1IdLzI
http://www.mars-one.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Exploration_Initiative
I had no idea there were non-profit organizations aimed at reaching Mars! The scientists and researchers who work on these projects must be really dedicated and put in tons of work to get there. In the future, I think it would be amazing to see people living on Mars – hopefully treating that planet better than we treat our own. This was an awesome overview.