Manned Mars Fly-By Planned

    Humans To Mars

    Millionaire tycoon Dennis Tito – the first private space tourist – has a new dream: spearheading a private manned mission to Mars.

    FOX News Radio’s Lisa Brady has details:

    The goal less than five years from now is to send a married couple – not yet chosen – in a craft – not yet built – on a slingshotted fly-by of Mars; a 501-day mission.

    (MacCallum) “All of the work to date shows this mission is possible.  Just barely.”

    Taber MacCallum and his wife, Dr. Jane Poynter, are two of the experts involved.  Both were part of the earth-bound Biosphere-2 experiment, but this is deep space.

    (Dr. Poynter) “There is no abort scenario.  Once they’ve left planet Earth, they ain’t gettin’ off that bus.”

    Poynter likens it to a really long road trip in a cramped RV. Space medicine expert Dr. Jonathan Clark:

    (Dr. Clark) “This is going to be the Apollo 8 moment for our next generation.”

    Only these new pioneers would drink their own pee, recycled into water.

    Lisa Brady, FOX News Radio.