Mars is difficult to reach. However, I can remember when the moon was considered next to impossible to land on. People made it there with technology that is now in some ways antiquated. About 20 years ago, the human race reached the level of technology wherein a one-way Mars mission is conceivable. Since that time, even without a concerted effort to place explorers on Mars, we presently have, in theory and in fact, all the components necessary to place a small team of explorers on Mars. It would be a long trip, short stay, and long return trip.

However, the Mars Society has plans based on living off of Martian resources (including producing water, return trip fuel,) that would greatly lengthen a Martian exploration.

See also other projects by the true believers at Robert Zubrin's Mars Society They have some very interesting ideas.

And finally, despite the difficulty in reaching the red planet, we have in fact already landed there, with robots. Avaition history has many more errors and disasters than the lost Mars probes, yet aviation is also a success. So will be robotic and eventually human Mars missions. :wink: