NASA is investing in a rocket that could get humans to Mars and back in 2 months — and travel at 100,000 mph

Thu, 07/11/2024 - 17:38

Illustration of the Pulsed Plasma Rocket blasting off in space with Earth in the distance — Once fully developed, the Pulsed Plasma Rocket could blast through space at 100,000 miles per hour.
Howe Industries

NASA aims to send astronauts to Mars by the 2030s. But with current technology, the journey will be years long.
That's why NASA invested in a new type of rocket that could shorten the trip to just 2 months.
Reducing the amount of time astronauts spend in spaceflight is critical to their health.

NASA has invested $725,000 in a new rocket system that could solve one of the major obstacles standing in our way of sending humans to Mars: travel time.

With current technology, a round-trip to the red planet would take almost two years. For astronauts, spending that much time in spaceflight comes with big health risks.