[r9etb]

Yeah, it could be done, though a few minutes' thought will show that it would be a huge undertaking.

But the real question is, why should it be done? What is there about Mars that would justify the immense cost of sending a few people to visit? I honestly cannot think of one.

The more rational and sustainable approach would be to ignore Mars altogether, and focus on building space infrastructure closer to home. Once that's in place, Mars will be a natural and relatively easy goal.

Otherwise, it's just another Apollo program, but with a duration that makes it far too long to be an "event". It would never survive the politics.

[Bryan24]

Why?

At age 2, Jesse Owens didn’t leap up and run a 10-second 100 yard dash.

We’ve got to take steps. We’ve been to the moon. We then go to Mars. Then Saturn or Neptune. Then out of our Solar System.

Explore. Advance. Improve.

[TomSmedley]

The more rational and sustainable approach would be to ignore Mars altogether, and focus on building space infrastructure closer to home. Once that's in place, Mars will be a natural and relatively easy goal.

An O'Neill colony, built with lunar material, could drift towards Mars at a leisurely pace.

[newguy357]

But the real question is, why should it be done? What is there about Mars that would justify the immense cost of sending a few people to visit? I honestly cannot think of one. The more rational and sustainable approach would be to ignore Mars altogether, and focus on building space infrastructure closer to home. Once that's in place, Mars will be a natural and relatively easy goal. Otherwise, it's just another Apollo program, but with a duration that makes it far too long to be an "event". It would never survive the politics.

You've answered your own question. Without a goal that is in some way exciting, space infrastructure will not be built. The Apollo program inspired a generation of America's youth to go into science and engineering. Sitting in LEO with the shuttle program was accompanied by America's youth fleeing from science and engineering. You want space infrastructure? Make an interesting goal in space.