Couple To Circumnavigate Mars In 2018

On February 27th, 2013 Dennis Tito and his team discussed the newly formed "INSPIRATION MARS" non-profit organization and its plan for the first human mission to Mars. Learn more about this ground breaking inspiring mission from the press conference video above.

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"A unique window of opportunity for humankind will open in January 2018, and the INSPIRATION MARS FOUNDATION intends to seize it, announcing plans today to pursue a challenging manned mission to Mars and back. This historic 501-day journey around the Red Planet is made possible by a rare planetary alignment that occurs five years from now. Two professional crew members - one man, one woman - flying as private citizens will embark on what is known as a "fast, free-return" mission, passing within 100 miles of Mars before swinging back and safely returning to Earth. Target launch date is Jan. 5, 2018."

A NASA spokesperson said today: "This type of private sector effort is further evidence of the timeliness and wisdom of the Obama Administration's overall space policy and the enthusiasm to tap the innovative spirit of the private sector and share the interest people have in Mars exploration. It's a testament to the audacity of America's commercial aerospace sector and the adventurous spirit of America's citizen-explorers. NASA will continue discussions with Inspiration Mars to see how the agency might collaborate on mutually-beneficial activites that could compllement NASA's human spaceflight, spaceflight technology and mars exploration plans."

More from the "FINANCIAL TIMES", FOX NEWS, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, and NBC'S COSMIC LOG.

Origin: ufoproofs.blogspot.com