A trip to Mars could take years and cost billions of dollars. If
NASA and the European Space Agency are going to commit to such
an ambitious endeavor, they should try to get the most out of
their investment. That's why, according to astronaut Buzz
Aldrin, the first Mars pioneers should stay there permanently.
US astronaut Edwin "Buzz" AldrinAldrin, who in 1969 became the
second person to walk on the moon, told the AFP that Mars, with
its "near terrestrial conditions," would be a much better place
to start a colony than the moon or any other space-based
location. Aldrin's 238,000-mile trip to the moon on Apollo 11
took eight days roundtrip. In contrast, a flight to Mars would
be anywhere between 34 million miles and 400 million miles,
depending on the orbits of Earth and Mars. Even at the shorter
distance, that means it would take a year and a half to travel
roundtrip. Just to get humans to Mars and ensure their safety
with advanced life-support systems will take decades of
research. NASA and the European Spac