A launch window to Mars only opens every two years. I would think at least one mission would be planned. There won’t be another until 2020.
Both closed loop cycle designs of the 60s , and while the Russian RD180/170 design is more complicated , it is less limited in size and fuels, and more powerful and efficient apparently.
We are still struggling to make a similar Soviet complex self sufficient design, almost as if it was driven by ideology and genius to make it work at the same time.
What a waste of opportunity! Why don't they drill down to extract soil deep beneath the top layor to examine it under a microscope for possible life forms and its mineral composition. This would add to the findings of the Curiosity rover. It would be great if they found gold in that soil or lithium for lithium ion batteries to be used for manned exploration.
And so a competitor beats Musk to Mars ...
Atlas 5 with the Russian engines.
The Atlas was used to put John Glenn into orbit in 1962, and a variant is still being used today.
The Atlas ranks right up there with the KC-135, B-52, and C-130 for design longevity.
I found out that the launch is from Vandenberg because it had more open launch dates back in 2016, when this mission was originally scheduled.