Is the human race really on its way to the red planet?
For decades, setting foot on Mars has been a staple of science fiction.
But today, the US, China and Elon Musk have set their sights on making that dream a reality.
We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars launching American astronauts to plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars.
I'm Peggy Hollinger.
I report on the space industry for the Financial Times.
And in a new series of Techtonic,
I'll be asking if sending humans to Mars is worth the time energy and money.
I think laying the groundwork for eventual long-term human settlement at Mars is absolutely one of the most important goals that we can do as a species.
Why Mars?
Can we really get there?
Even live there?
Each launch is about learning more about what's needed to make life multi-planetary and taking ultimately hundreds of thousands
if not millions of people to Mars.
And if we do get there, will anyone actually want to go?
Mission to Mars launches on Wednesday, October 7th.
Find Techtonic from the Financial Times wherever you get your podcasts.