[sgt101]

We don't have the technology to get a person to Mars or to land them when they get there. We probably have the technology to build a spaceship that they could die in on the way there - but that's the closest that we realistically have.

[Dylan16807]

Surviving on the way to Mars isn't a huge leap in difficulty over a space station, and we have those on lock.

[ForHackernews]

There's much greater radiation exposure away from Earth's magnetic field. I believe this is still an unsolved problem. Proposed solutions for shielding are heavy and expensive.

[Dylan16807]

You just have to keep the lights on and not die of cancer for six months. The radiation isn't that bad.

Edit: The specific number is under 2 millisievert per day. And "One sievert carries with it a 5.5% chance of eventually developing fatal cancer based on the linear no-threshold model."

[DEADBEEFC0FFEE]

I though shielding with water was the way forward there.

[sgt101]

In science fiction novels...

[mFixman]

It's much harder if you include the return trip.

[Dylan16807]

You have to keep things going for 3 years, but I think such a trip is still pretty straightforward with our current abilities.

But wow what a drawn-out load of nothing a mission like that would be.

[sgt101]

No resupply, no spares - no chance.

[Dylan16807]

There's room on board for literal tons of spares.