A Crewed Mission to Mars...  

Is it really possible ?

 The logistics of a crewed mission to Mars are complex to say the least. Before setting out into the solar system on our way to the Red Planet, there are a seemingly endless number of factors to take into consideration. These factors range from transit vehicles and trajectories, to crew safety and stay-times, to required resources and equipment, and much, much more. Every aspect of mission requirements must be investigated in fine detail before departure because, due to the nature of the flight trajectory, there will be no quick return to, or supplementary supply from, Earth in the event of the unexpected. Upon Earth departure, the crew must be completely self-sufficient, flexible enough to adapt to new situations, and they will undoubtedly require expertise in a wide range of disciplines. A landing site must be chosen, mission objectives must be defined, and a commitment must be made.

The commitment to a human Mars exploration program would certainly be an ambitious undertaking. A crewed mission to Mars currently lies on the very edge of our technological ability and the realization of this ambition (as well as other space science projects) would undoubtedly stand as a testament to the possibilities which technology presents to our civilization. Such a mission would give us a more complete understanding of Mars than ever before which would then, in turn, provide us with a more complete understanding of the processes and evolution of our own planet.

A crewed mission to Mars would define a new frontier of human exploration both scientifically and philosophically. The human exploration of Mars raises valid scientific questions of interplanetary biological contamination which must be addressed before the departure of a crewed mission. Furthermore, philosophical issues pertaining to our interference with the natural evolution of another planet must also be resolved. Indeed, especially if a crewed mission to Mars is a precursor to human settlement of the Red Planet, these uncertainties must be thoroughly investigated by the visionaries who strive to implement a human Mars exploration program.

Mission Objectives:

The "Why Mars" workshop in Houston also broadly defined 2 primary mission objectives: 

1) To arrive at a better understanding of Mars both currently and historically and to answer scientific questions existing at the time of exploration (e.g. existence of subsurface water, existence of life in the past or present, global geology/tectonics, atmospheric evolution, nitrogen reservoirs etc.)

2) To demonstrate the feasibility future longer term Mars exploration and/or colonization.