Resumen de On a wing and a prayer
Last week, the Inspiration Mars Foundation that Dennis Tito heads announced its intention to launch a capsule on Jan 5, 2018. Minimizing relationship complications, it will take a middle-aged married crew of two to about 160 kilometers above Mars. Genome-based healthcare is on offer but no vacation or sick leave. The Red Planet's gravity will slingshot the spacecraft back to Earth without burning any more fuel. With no stop-off on Mars, it may not sound like much fun, but the aim is to inspire a new generation of explorers. The 2018 deadline is fixed to make the trip fuel-efficient: the next launch window when Mars and Earth align isn't until 2031. That means the race is onto develop four critical systems involving totally new technologies by 2015, says chief technology officer Taber MacCallum. Three years is the minimum time to ready the systems for take-off.
