Just a few decades ago, humans took a giant leap for mankind and stepped foot on the moon. Now, NASA are planning to leap even further.
Today (30 March), the space agency announced the establishment of a new Moon to Mars Program Office at NASA Headquarters in Washington, which will be tasked with paving the way to getting humans on Mars.
It comes following the initial establishment of the Moon to Mars program, which plans to send the first woman and the first person of color to the surface of the Moon and help use what we learn there to prepare for the trip to the Red Planet.
Mars is half the size of Earth and, like our home, has differing weather and seasons, as well as polar ice caps, volcanoes, canyons.
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However, it has a very thin atmosphere made of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and argon, and its surface is not active, meaning it would be tough for humans to relocate.
Not only that, but because it's located more than 200 million kilometres away from Earth, the trip to Mars would take years and, naturally, requires a lot of preparation.
It's not just about throwing someone in a rocket and waving goodbye, and that's where the Moon to Mars Program Office comes in.
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NASA Administrator Bill Nelson explained: "The Moon to Mars Program Office will help prepare NASA to carry out our bold missions to the Moon and land the first humans on Mars.
“The golden age of exploration is happening right now, and this new office will help ensure that NASA successfully establishes a long-term lunar presence needed to prepare for humanity’s next giant leap to the Red Planet.”
The office is set to lead planning and analysis for developments which will help support human missions to Mars, as well as being responsible for looking at functions that will prove critical to helping to open 'a new era of scientific discovery and prepare for human missions to Mars'.
Led by former acting deputy associate administrator for Common Exploration Systems Development, Amit Kshatriya, the office also consists of Lakiesha Hawkins as the deputy for the Moon to Mars Program Office and Stephen Creech as the technical deputy for the office.
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While trips to the moon already require systems that can operate far from home and support human life, NASA has stressed that the same will be 'increasingly more important' for the trip to Mars.
Emily Brown