NASA Plans on Sending Humans To Mars By Mid 2030’s

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After the most recent astronomical news was announced that the Philae lander was able to land and return data about a comet 310 million miles away from Earth, NASA has revealed its plan of sending humans to Mars no later than 2035.

During an interview with CNN, NASA's chief scientist Dr. Ellen Stofan said she wanted to "land a human on Mars" by the mid-2030's.

"In a sense it's our destiny to move beyond this planet and Mars is the logical choice," Stofan said.

The 53-year-old geologist and mother of three added that Mars is a place where humans "could live and work," with little modifications, at least not out in the open.

Stofan added that the "Red Planet" is the only other body in the solar system where the evolution of life could likely be observed.

The chief scientist of NASA said that it would be "critically important for science" if there could be a laboratory built on Mars, which has a sustained human presence.

The journey to Mars is believed to take up to eight months, and it would not be a smooth ride, since astronauts would have to face high levels of radiation, according to Viral Global News.

"We still have to figure out how to adequately protect them from the radiation," Stofan said.

However, if the astronauts are able to survive the journey, landing the spaceship would be an entirely different matter, since the thin atmosphere would be a challenge especially for a spaceship loaded with people and equipment.

Stofan, who was born to a NASA engineer, said that in order for the astronauts to successfully land their spaceship in the atmosphere in Mars, "you've got to find some way of slowing yourself down really rapidly."

When Stofan was four years old, she witnessed her first rocket launch, during which time, the unmanned launch exploded, which left an impression on the girl who tens of years later has set her sights on a mission to the Red Planet.

However, Stofan said that the mission is more than just about sending humans to live on Mars but in order to learn more about Earth.

She explained that by comparing the Earth to other planets, such as Mars or Venus, and study the different processes in the solar system, more secrets of the Earth can be unlocked and "all of a sudden you get smarter about your own planet."

Stofan compared the learning process with a doctor having only one patient, "then you'd never really understand the progression of the disease," for scientists, more can be learned about the Earth by studying lots of planets."