Even in a world of diminished expectations, space scientists continue to dream. Suppose the money spigot was turned back on? Suppose scientific resolve reappeared? How could we return to the moon? Explore the near planets? Reach out to the far planets? In government labs and think tanks, ideas are taking shape for ion-propulsion engines, interplanetary ships with onboard gravity, underground lunar bases, and perhaps most intriguing of all, sprawling, manned bases on Mars--each project a sort of exercise in pure science for engineers freed from the messy considerations of money and politics.
But at least as far as manned exploration of the Red Planet is concerned, it’s probably the longest of long shots. Sure, Mars is near the top of most space planners’ wish lists, but it’s been there for the last 30 years without a jot of progress being made toward an actual mission. Sure, in 1990 the president ...
