That first paragraph is one of the stupidest and most illogical things I have ever read. “Billy Madison”, blabbering about the Pokey Little Puppy, made more sense. Seeing it posted immediately below a visualization of the Van Allen radiation belts, really highlights the authors’ complete lack of knowledge, understanding, intelligence, and honesty.
But go ahead ... believe them if you like. Some folks are convinced Sasquatch exists. Some folks think “gun control” reduces crime.
Mars is a deadly fantasy right now due to deadly cosmic rays/radiation.
Considering the utter absence of technological advancement in shielding technology of any type or kind that would constitute a breakthrough, rendering reasonable any near- or medium-term plans for a future manned round-trip mission to Mars, Mars will remain a deadly fantasy for the foreseeable future, not worthy of significant federal government investment or any Kennedy-esque rhetoric on the part of a sitting U.S. President declaring such as a goal or setting any dates for its achievement.
Perhaps Trump has been wise in terms of refocusing NASA on the “stretch” goal of resuming round trip manned missions to the Moon with an eye toward establishing a continuously-manned lunar space station. In One Guy’s opinion, this is similarly impossible based on too-high levels of unshielded cosmic rays/radiation (akin to sending our Astronauts into a continuously operating microwave oven to be effectively cooked (at least in terms of genetic damage, if not also in terms of irreversible damage to flesh, including precious brain tissue), possibly within weeks or at most months after initial liftoff.
Insistent questioning and associated research about the kind and dose size of radiation astronauts can expect to experience during their transit through the Van Allen Belt(s) cannot be dodged. If lunar missions are scrapped on this basis alone that would save the U.S. a hell of a lot of time, money and effort by our best minds who could be better occupied dealing with real problems here on earth.
Oh—and if it turns out LBJ did indeed fake our trips to and onto the moon, it would be good for the U.S. government to admit that.