17-Year-Old May Be the 1st Person to Visit Mars

The dream of colonizing the red planet is becoming a reality. So who will be the first person on Mars? If Alyssa Carson has anything to say about it, it’s going to be her.

And it looks like she may get her wish.

A hundred years ago, the idea of landing on Mars was reserved for the world of fiction.

Even the thought of landing on the moon was, well, out of this world. Back at the turn of the 20th century, books like A Princess of Mars — which featured the character John Carter — imagined what life could be like on the Red Planet, and it wasn’t exactly a realistic portrayal.

In the 1950s, that idea became a little more realistic.

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By the mid-20th century, making it to Mars was a concept that seemed a little more in reach. Missions that would involve actual human beings (not just satellites or rovers) began in the ‘50s, with plans set for 10 to 30 years out at a time.

Since 1952, more than 60 manned Mars mission plans have been drafted.

Actually, there have been 64 planned manned missions to Mars since humans could conceptualize getting there. Missions range from small scientific expeditions, to larger group visits, to — most recently — the permanent colonization of the planet.

Just getting there involves the consideration of a number of variables.

Like the energy needed to transfer between planetary orbits. For trips between Earth and Mars, the lowest energy intervals happen every 26 months, so missions are planned to launch during these time periods.