In 2017 , Peggy Whitson   broke the disk for themostdays spend in spaceby aNASA spaceman . On the   day of her record , she receive a video call from the White House , where Trump enjoin   he wanted to putan astronaut on Marsby the closing of 2020 or by 2024 .

Sims describes the event preceding the conversation with Whitson , focusing in particular on the conversation between Trump and Robert Lightfoot Jr. , who   was at the metre the acting administrator for NASA . Trump asked what NASA ’s plan for Mars was and Lightfoot explain that in the peak Trump sign up there were provisions for a automatic delegation in 2020 and then a human one during the 2030s .

According to Sims , Trump call for : “ But is there any way we could do it by the end of my first condition ? ” This extend to uncomfortable interchange , according to the leger generator , with Lightfoot excuse just how complicated going to another major planet in reality is . And that ’s when Trump made his proposition .

“ But what if I consecrate you all the money you could ever demand to do it ? ” Trump asked Lightfoot . “ What if we sent NASA ’s budget through the cap , but focused entirely on that instead of whatever else you ’re doing now . Could it form then ? ” Lightfoot told him that even under that stipulation , it would not be achievable .

The average space between Earth and Mars is 225 million kilometers ( 140 million mile ) away . This is over 590 multiplication further than any homo has go before . The trip it is await to last two years in total , most of which would be expend in deep outer space with no protective cover from cosmic rays and most likely no way to help oneself the spaceman if something become   wrong .

On top of those difficulties , the US currently does not have rockets or spacecraft that can deliver human to gloomy - Earth orbit , allow alone to Mars . And that also last for private companies . While a bigger budget for NASA would be welcome , it would not reserve them to   get around the necessary steps it takes to get to the Red Planet .

[ H / T : New York Magazine ]