But Goldin said these and other failures should not deter true explorers from trying again. But before astronauts could set out for Mars, the United States and its partners will have to resolve some formidable technical problems, according to experts. Given the distance of the flight, a more reliable and robust spacecraft propulsion system and new robotic technologies will have to be developed, said astronaut William Shepherd. Space crews will need to learn to function more independently from mission controls because it would take radio signals 20-30 minutes to reach Earth from Mars orbit, according to Shepherd. In his view, a mission to Mars will also have to be international.
People are the most vulnerable chain in long-term space expedition.
Scientists from the Institute for Problems of Medicine and Biology are trying to answer these and many other questions. With financial support of ISTC they have developed a Pilot Project of Manned Expedition to Mars.