This is a good launch and test run; however, NASA is utilizing 60s and 70s space technology. This is unacceptable in this day and age. We have congress to thank for all the budget cuts over the years. This year, NASA requested only $26 billion from the federal government. If NASA would like to achieve true greatness, they'll need to request a lot more than $26 billion. A manned mission to MARS is scheduled to launch in the 2030s. NASA will need sufficient funds to make this dream come reality. Nuclear Propulsion is the answer!
Nuclear Propulsion was in its development stage in the mid 1950s. Budget cuts and the fear of another nuclear explosion halted the project. Nuclear Propulsion will cut the travel time to Mars to 90 days or less. During nuclear propulsion development, there were talks about interplanetary travel and even interstellar travel. Let's face it. Chemical propulsion via rockets is yesterday's space tech and it has its limits.
Also, entering back to Earth via crew module? I was under the impression that NASA built an upgraded version of this and not something they used since the Apollo missions. This mission costed billions to achieve but I cannot help that we've stagnated due to budget cuts. Unless NASA develops new tech, we're not leaving this planet.
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