Do we have the technology to make to Mars and come back?

Question

It seems that it is difficult how it is to go back to the moon. How can we think that we can make to mars? It will take some 3 years just to go and come back.

Answer 1

Yes, absolutely. It's even been costed. With present technology, it could be done by assembling a big chemical rocket, International Space Station type habitat module, and other mission related stuff in orbit with many shuttle flights using techniques developed assembling ISS. It would be about as expensive as ISS too ($100B). It would also be slow, pushing the limits of human endurance for living in space. The conclusion was - too expensive, too slow. So instead, the gov't decided to focus on developing better, more cost effective technology like refueling on mars using native resources like CO2 from atmosphere and water and better propulsion systems like nuclear electric ion drive. That way, in addition to just going to Mars, there'd be all this cool technology to use for other stuff too. You could also spread the cost out as long as you want, to work around fickle priority decisions congress makes every year.

Answer 2

We probably have the technology, but the government is devoting most of its expenditures to fighting a pointless war.

Answer 3

Yes, we do..
We lack the political will to make it happen...
Same reason we stopped going to the Moon...