Bush to announce manned mission to Mars

[Skii]

Pah

Just need hyperspace thats all

[Aaron]

Have they not already started playing with ION drives?

Mars Express (the European satelitte) used an ion drive. They're very effecient but incredibly slow. Not exactly ideal for a manned mission.

[Nick]

If they use the moon for a start off point they'll have a massive lower fuel cost to get on the way to Mars.

If they used some sort of nuclear drive that perhaps converts water to steam and focuses that out of the back of the craft in a jet, then they needn't even bother manufacturing fuel on the moon except for when they need to blast off and need massive power quickly.

We'd be in an ideal position to set up a space elevator for Mars, elimanting the need for fuel costly take offs and landings...

The theory is there and the technology is within reach or just around the corner, I reckon 50 years or so will see a permanent colony on the moon and men visiting mars.

My big interest is Jupiter though, and the sea under the frozen surface of one of its moons.. Juno I think its called... that's where I reckon we really might find some seriously large life forms.

[steve threlfall]

This venture is meant to cost 700 billion

We may have been able to afford this had we not wasted so much money on firing £1m a pop cruise missiles...