A STEPPED APPROACH TO THE MOON AND MARS

The Moon and Mars are tantalizing prospects for continued exploration and development. Both destinations offer numerous science and societal rewards in the near and distant future. Endeavors to these locations are limited by economics rather than technological barriers. Despite recent successes and developments that have renewed public interest in the space program, NASA’s budget is unlikely to significantly increase. With the eventual goal of settling both the Moon and Mars, a carefully planned and stepped approach needs to be utilized. The first step involves sending a crew to Mars directly, in a program spanning no more than a decade. After the completion of this initial exploratory sequence, flights to Mars will be temporarily suspended and the focus will turn to the moon. During the moon development period the data gathered from the Mars missions will be thoroughly analyzed. This detailed analysis will funnel the eventual focus of Mars exploration. In addition to the science obtained from Moon exploration and development, the resources of the Moon will eventually be utilized in future space endeavors