Statement from Inspiration Mars Chairman Dennis Tito on Feb. 27 “Mars Flyby 2021” Hearing

“I am very encouraged by the discussion that took place during today’s Congressional committee hearing about the need for a long-term space exploration strategy and the opportunity for a Venus/Mars flyby mission in 2021.  

Through several months of exhaustive reviews with NASA centers, industry and academia to validate an architecture for a Mars flyby in 2018, it became clear that the most practical and beneficial approach for America’s space program would be to use the NASA Space Launch System and Orion crew vehicle for a similar window of opportunity slightly less than four years later.

I continue to believe, as do many Americans, that Mars is the logical destination to put human space exploration back on track and demonstrate the ‘can do’ spirit that seems to have faded over time.  The window of opportunity in 2021 is challenging but achievable and waiting to be claimed.

The Inspiration Mars Foundation remains fully committed to its vision to help provide America with a viable, challenging and inspirational mission to Mars as a way to help accelerate our nation’s plans for space exploration.”

–       Dennis Tito, Chairman of the Inspiration Mars Foundation