Robert Zubrin, the planet’s leading strategist for landing humans on Mars, predicts SpaceX’s Starship will win the race to speed astronauts to Mars, but not until 2031.

Three countries just launched unmanned missions ... heavier manned craft to land safely this way. Since landing on Mars with the weight of sufficient fuel for a return journey is impractical ...

"Since Viking landed on Mars, many things have changed, and many things have not. What has not changed in the past 50 years is our understanding of the limits of life in cold and dry environments." ...