To Mars in 90 Days?
Can it be done?
Well, some folks are working on it at least. This story is a little old, but it’s worth mentioning, I thought, since it could open up so many new possibilities. According to this article on the University of Washington news site, researchers are working on a magnetized-beam plasma propulsion device that will drastically reduce interplanetary travel within our own solar system. I have to agree with the researchers when they say that a two year trip to Mars is too prohibitive for us to risk. But, making the same trip in 90 days is much more reasonable. It would really make our solar system much more usable, in a certain sense, for us as a space-faring race. Who knows, it might even be the start of extra-solar travel as well. At least, if we get up there and start running around, we might find other things that will advance our propulsion science far enough to make interstellar travel a real possibility.
All of which is perfect fare for a science-fiction writer, eh? And, in any case, it’s an interesting article.
