A “Global Exploration Roadmap” that will introduce a 25-year scenario for visits beyond Earth orbit is being drawn up by Nasa and their counterparts around the world. The destination? Mars. Some experts say that we should go directly to Mars while other, more down-to-earth enthusiasts say that we should arrive there using stepping stones.
The International Space Exploration Coordination Group, which includes representatives from Britain, Canada, the European Space Agency, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the U.S., is discussing the moon versus asteroid route.
“It begins with the International Space Station and expands human presence throughout the solar system, leading ultimately to human missions to explore the surface of Mars,” Nasa said Tuesday in a news release. “The roadmap flows from this strategy and identifies two potential pathways: ‘Asteroid Next’ and ‘Moon Next,” the space agency added.