Inspiration Mars Foundation

Short description: Defunct, proposed a crewed flyby mission

Inspiration Mars Foundation

"Send Two People, Take Everyone"

Founded| 25 January 2013; 13 years ago (2013-01-25)[1]
Founder| Dennis Tito
Type| 501(c)(3) (pending, as of April 2013[update])[1]
Purpose| 2018 crewed Mars Flyby, or alternatively a 2021 Venus flyby followed by a Mars flyby
Location|

* Delaware, U.S.[1]

Area served

| Earth/Mars/Venus

Key people

| Dennis Tito
Jane Poynter
Taber MacCallum
Joe Rothenberg
Miles O'Brien
Jonathan Clark
Thomas Squire

Inspiration Mars Foundation was an American nonprofit organization founded by Dennis Tito that in 2013 proposed to launch a crewed mission to flyby Mars in January 2018,[2][3][4][5][6] or 2021 if they missed the first synodic opportunity in 2018.[7][needs update]

Their website[8] became defunct by late 2015.[not verified in body] They are no longer operating.[citation needed]

## Contents

* 1 Plans
* 1.1 Funding
* 2 Mission trajectory as proposed
* 2.1 Student design competition
* 3 Criticism
* 4 See also
* 5 References
* 6 External links

## Plans

On 27 February 2013, the Inspiration Mars Foundation held a press conference in the National Press Club. They announce plans to procure space hardware, launch vehicle services, and select a two-person married couple as crew,[9] and then raise the funding necessary to launch a mission to Mars in 2018. Dennis Tito said he would fund the foundation with $100 million for the first years of operation.[10]

At the 2013 conference, however, Dennis Tito admitted that his plan was impossible without investment from NASA and the use of NASA spacecraft.[11] NASA, however, was not willing to become a partner.[12]

### Funding

They projected costs of the mission between US$1–2 billion.[13] Tito said he would fund the foundation's cost for the first two years[14] and planned to raise funds from industry and individuals for the mission.[14]

But in testimony before Congress in November 2013, Tito said that he expected private donors would only provide around $300 million, leaving the need for an additional investment of $700 million from the US government. NASA responded that while they were willing to share technical and programmatic expertise, they would not commit to sharing expenses with the organization.[15] The foundation's funding model, dependent on a non-existent partner, never took form.

In March 2014, SpaceX said that they also had been contacted by Inspiration Mars, but that accommodating such requirements would require some additional work and that such work was not the current focus of SpaceX.[16]

## Mission trajectory as proposed

Approximate Inspiration Mars Trajectory (not to scale) Artist's Concept of Inspiration Mars Capsule and Hab. Inspiration Mars Periapsis.

They proposed a free return trajectory to allow the spacecraft to use the smallest possible amount of propellant to flyby Mars and return to Earth.[17] They stated that the January 2018 launch window offered a rare orbit opportunity to travel to Mars and return to Earth in 501 days.[14]

Their stated backup plan involved a mission beginning in 2021 but it would be 88 days longer. They stated it would require both a flyby of Venus and Mars. The flight would take the spacecraft within 800 kilometres of the surface of Venus, using the planet for a gravity assist to speed the travel to Mars.[18]

According to a paper written by Tito,[citation needed] "the mission would require no maneuvers except small course corrections after a trans-Martian injection burn, [and] would allow no aborts. ... [It will] use low Earth orbit launch and crewed-spacecraft technology, outfitted for the long duration of a flight to Mars." They speculated that when the spacecraft returned to Earth it would reenter the atmosphere at 50 000 km per hour (ca 13.9 km/s), faster than any previous return.[19]

### Student design competition

During the 16th Annual International Mars Society Convention in 2013, the Mars Society announced an international engineering competition for student teams to propose designs for the architecture of the mission. The contest was open to university engineering student teams.[20] The design contest took place on 9 August 2014, and was won by an international team from Purdue University in US and Keio University in Japan.[21]

## Criticism

A spokesman for NASA stated in February 2013 that "Inspiration Mars's proposed schedule is a significant challenge due to life support systems, space radiation response, habitats and the human psychology of being in a small spacecraft for over 500 days", but that "we remain open to further collaboration as their proposal and plans for a later mission develop".[22]

John Logsdon, professor emeritus at George Washington University's Space Policy Institute, said the timeline was "totally implausible" for a mission to be launched in 2018, although the"Plan B" mission might be possible "if the stars align".[23]

Their website[8] became defunct in late 2015.[citation needed]

## See also

* Astronomy:Colonization of Mars - Proposed concepts for human settlements on Mars
* Company:Deep Space Industries
* Astronomy:Effect of spaceflight on the human body - Medical issues associated with spaceflight
* Astronomy:Human mission to Mars - Proposed concepts
* List of crewed Mars mission plans
* Astronomy:Mars Direct - Proposal for a crewed Mars mission
* Astronomy:Mars to Stay - Mars colonization architecture proposing no return vehicles
* Engineering:Private spaceflight - Spaceflight not by a government
* Astronomy:The Case for Mars - Robert Zubrin book on potential colonization

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Inspiration Mars Wants To Use ISS, NASAwatch, 15 April 2013
2. ↑ Borenstein, Seth (27 February 2013). "Tycoon wants to send married couple on Mars flyby". Associated Press. Excite. http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130227/DA4N93K83.html.
3. ↑ Boucher, Marc (20 February 2013). "The First Human Mission to Mars in 2018 (Updated)". SpaceRef. http://spaceref.com/mars/the-first-human-mission-to-mars-in-2018.html.
4. ↑ Boyle, Alan. "How a millionaire spaceflier intends to send astronauts past Mars in 2018". Cosmic Log (NBCNews.com). http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/21/17038750-how-a-millionaire-spaceflier-intends-to-send-astronauts-past-mars-in-2018?lite.
5. ↑ Mann, Adam (20 February 2013). "Space Tourist to Announce Daring Manned Mars Voyage for 2018". Wired. https://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/02/dennis-tito-mars. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
6. ↑ Sonnenberg, Max (23 February 2013). "Millionaire space tourist planning 'historic journey' to Mars in 2018". The Space Reporter. http://thespacereporter.com/2013/02/millionaire-space-tourist-planning-historic-journey-to-mars-in-2018/.
7. ↑ "Dennis Tito's Prepared Remarks Before Congress on Human Mars Mission at Parabolic Arc". Parabolicarc.com. 2013-11-20. http://www.parabolicarc.com/2013/11/20/dennis-titos-prepared-remarks-congress-human-mars-mission/.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "The Foundation". http://inspirationmars.org/.
9. ↑ Moskowitz, Clara (28 February 2013). "Private Mission to Mars in 2018: Who Should Go?". space.com. http://www.space.com/19998-inspiration-mars-mission-married-crew.html.
10. ↑ Belfiore, Michael (27 February 2013). "The Crazy Plan to Fly Two Humans to Mars in 2018". Popular Mechanics. http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/moon-mars/the-crazy-plan-to-fly-two-humans-to-mars-in-2018-15152667.
11. ↑ "Ambitious Mars joy-ride cannot succeed without NASA - space - 21 November 2013". New Scientist. 2013-11-21. https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn24633-ambitious-mars-joyride-cannot-succeed-without-nasa.html?page=1. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
12. ↑ Abrams, Lindsay (21 November 2013). "Dennis Tito: It will take "less than $1 billion" to make Mars mission happen". http://www.salon.com/2013/11/20/dennis_tito_it_will_take_less_than_1_billion_to_make_mars_mission_happen/.
13. ↑ Koebler, Jason (2013-03-01). "Expert: Dennis Tito's Mars Flyby Has '1-in-3' Chance of Succeeding". US News. https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/03/01/expert-dennis-titos-mars-flyby-has-1-in-3-chance-of-succeeding. "At a news conference in Washington, D.C., Tito said he's tired of waiting for NASA to send humans to Mars, and that he'd help finance the between $1 and $2 billion needed to complete the mission."
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Morring, Frank Jr. (2013-03-04). "Serious Intent About 2018 Human Mars Mission". Aviation Week and Space Technology. http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_03_04_2013_p24-553876.xml.
15. ↑ "Dennis Tito: It will take "less than $1 billion" to make Mars mission happen". Salon.com. 2013-11-20. http://www.salon.com/2013/11/20/dennis_tito_it_will_take_less_than_1_billion_to_make_mars_mission_happen/.
16. ↑ Gwynne Shotwell (2014-03-21). Broadcast 2212: Special Edition, interview with Gwynne Shotwell (audio file). The Space Show. Event occurs at 11:20–12:10. 2212. Archived from the original (mp3) on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
17. ↑ ﻿Grain Transportation Report. February 28, 2013﻿ (Report). 2013-02-28. doi:10.9752/ts056.02-28-2013.
18. ↑ "Ambitious Mars joy-ride cannot succeed without NASA - space - 21 November 2013". New Scientist. 2013-11-21. https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn24633-ambitious-mars-joyride-cannot-succeed-without-nasa.html. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
19. ↑ Nigel Henbest (13 July 2013). "Race to Mars: Who will be first to the Red Planet?". New Scientist: 42–45. https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21929252.100-race-to-mars-who-will-be-first-to-the-red-planet.html?full=true#.VS-3QKO8-D8.
20. ↑ "Rules". The Mars Society. http://www.marssociety.org/home/inspiration-mars/rules.
21. ↑ [1] [|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
22. ↑ Achenbach, Joel (2011-02-24). "Going to Mars: Billionaire Dennis Tito plans manned mission with possible 2017 launch". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/going-to-mars-billionaire-dennis-tito-plans-manned-mission-with-possible-2017-launch/2013/11/20/b859bc76-51e8-11e3-9fe0-fd2ca728e67c_story.html.
23. ↑ "Going to Mars: Billionaire Dennis Tito plans manned mission with possible 2017 launch". The Washington Post. 2013-06-20. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/going-to-mars-billionaire-dennis-tito-plans-manned-mission-with-possible-2017-launch/2013/11/20/b859bc76-51e8-11e3-9fe0-fd2ca728e67c_story_1.html.

## External links

* Official website, now defunct
* Flickr: Inspiration Mars photo stream
* Earth/Mars/IM capsule 501-day mission orbital position animation, Inspiration Mars Foundation, February 2013.
* Feasibility Analysis
* Introductory Press Conference, 27 February 2013
* Inspiration Mars: 29th National Space Symposium: panel discussion, Dennis Tito, Taber MacCallum, Jonathan Clark, and Jane Poynter, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 11 April 2013.
* Newer concept

* v
* t
* e

Human mission to Mars

* List of crewed Mars mission plans

21st-century proposals|

* Aurora programme
* Austere Human Missions to Mars
* Constellation program
* Inspiration Mars
* Mars Base Camp
* Mars One
* Mars Piloted Orbital Station
* Mars to Stay
* SpaceX Mars transportation infrastructure
* Vision for Space Exploration

20th-century proposals|

* The Mars Project
* Martian Piloted Complex
* TMK
* Ride Report
* Space Exploration Initiative
* Mars Direct
* The Case for Mars
* Mars Design Reference Mission
* 3.0

Mars analogs (list)|

* MARS-500
* Mars Analogue Research Station Program
* FMARS
* MDRS
* Euro-MARS
* MARS-Oz
* Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition
* Concordia Station
* HI-SEAS
* NEEMO

Advocacy|

* Caves of Mars Project
* Mars Institute
* Mars Society

Hardware concepts|

* Mars habitat
* Crewed Mars rover
* Mars suit
* Mars Excursion Module
* Mars lander
* Mars rover

Miscellaneous|

* Colonization of Mars
* Exploration of Mars
* Fiction
* films
* novels
* Mars cycler
* Mars orbit rendezvous
* Terraforming of Mars
* Mars atmospheric entry
* Mars flyby

* v
* t
* e

Spacecraft missions to Mars

Active missions|

| Orbiters|

* 2001 Mars Odyssey
* Mars Express (MEX)
* Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO)
* Mangalyaan (MOM)
* MAVEN
* ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO)

|

Landers|

* InSight

Rovers|

* Curiosity
* timeline

Past missions|

| Flybys|

* Mars 1†
* Mariner 4
* Zond 2†
* Mariner 6 and 7
* Mars 6
* Mars 7
* Rosetta
* Dawn
* Mars Cube One (MarCO)

|

Orbiters|

* Mars 2
* Mars 3
* Mariner 9
* Mars 4†
* Mars 5
* Viking program
* Viking 1
* Viking 2
* Phobos program
* Phobos 1†
* Phobos 2†
* Mars Observer†
* Mars Global Surveyor (MGS)
* Nozomi†
* Mars Climate Orbiter†

Landers|

* Mars 2†
* Mars 3†
* Mars 6†
* Mars 7†
* Viking 1
* Viking 2
* Mars Pathfinder
* Mars Polar Lander† / Deep Space 2†
* Beagle 2†
* Phoenix
* ExoMars Schiaparelli†

Rovers|

* Prop-M†
* Sojourner
* Spirit
* observations
* Opportunity
* timeline
* observations

Mars-crossing objects|

* Zond 3
* Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster

Failed launches|

* Mars 1M No.1
* 1M No.2
* 2MV-4 No.1
* 2MV-3 No.1
* Mariner 3
* Mars 2M No.521
* 2M No.522
* Mariner 8
* Mars 3MS No.170
* Mars 96
* Fobos-Grunt / Yinghuo-1

Future missions|

| Planned|

* Hope Mars Mission (2020)
* ExoMars (2020)
* Rosalind Franklin rover
* Kazachok lander
* Mars 2020 (2020)
* Mars Helicopter Scout
* HX-1 (2020)
* Mars Orbiter Mission 2 (2022 or 2023)
* Psyche (2022, flyby in 2023)
* Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) (2022, flyby in 2025)
* Tera-hertz Explorer (TEREX) (2022 lander, 2024 orbiter)
* SatRevolution (2022)
* Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) (2024)

|

Proposed|

* Biological Oxidant and Life Detection (BOLD)
* SpaceX base
* DePhine
* Icebreaker Life
* Mars Geyser Hopper
* Mars-Grunt
* Mars Micro Orbiter‎
* MELOS rover
* MetNet
* Next Mars Orbiter (NeMO)
* PADME
* Phootprint
* Sky-Sailor

Cancelled proposals|

* Aerial Regional-scale Environmental Survey (ARES)
* Astrobiology Field Laboratory
* Beagle 3
* Mars 4NM & 5NM
* Mars 5M (Mars-79)
* Mars-Aster
* Mars Astrobiology Explorer-Cacher (MAX-C)
* Mars One
* Mars Surveyor Lander
* Mars Telecommunications Orbiter
* NetLander
* Northern Light
* Red Dragon
* Sample Collection for Investigation of Mars (SCIM)
* Vesta
* Voyager Mars

Exploration of Mars|

| Concepts|

* Flyby
* Orbiter
* Landing
* Rover
* Sample return
* Human mission
* Permanent settlement
* Colonization
* Terraforming

|

Strategies|

* Mars Scout Program
* Mars Exploration Program
* Mars Exploration Joint Initiative
* Mars Next Generation

Advocacy|

* The Mars Project
* The Case for Mars
* Inspiration Mars
* Mars Institute
* Mars Society
* Mars race

Lists|

* List of missions to Mars
* List of Mars orbiters
* List of artificial objects on Mars

Missions are ordered by launch date. Sign † indicates failure en route or before intended mission data returned.

* v
* t
* e

Spacecraft missions to Venus

Active missions|

| Orbiters|

* Akatsuki

|

Flybys|

* Parker Solar Probe (en route)
* BepiColombo (en route)

Past missions|

| Orbiters|

* Magellan
* Pioneer Venus Orbiter
* Venera 9
* 10
* 15
* 16
* Venus Express

|

Flybys|

* Venera 1†
* Mariner 2
* Zond 1†
* Venera 2†
* Mariner 5
* 10
* Venera 11
* 12
* 13
* 14
* Vega 1
* 2
* Galileo
* Cassini–Huygens
* MESSENGER
* IKAROS
* Shin-en†

Descent probes|

* Venera 3†
* 4
* 5
* 6
* Pioneer Venus Multiprobe

Landers|

* Venera 7
* 8
* 9
* 10
* 11
* 12
* 13
* 14
* Vega 1
* 2
* Pioneer Venus Small Probes

Balloon probes|

* Vega 1
* 2

Failed launches|

* Tyazhely Sputnik
* Mariner 1
* 2MV-1 No.1
* 2MV-1 No.2
* 2MV-2 No.1
* Kosmos 21
* 3MV-1 No.2
* Kosmos 27
* 96
* 167
* 482

Planned missions|

| Flybys|

* Solar Orbiter (2020)
* Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (2022)
* Dragonfly (2026)

|

Proposed missions|

| Venus missions|

* CUVE
* DAVINCI
* EnVision
* HAVOC
* HOVER
* Shukrayaan-1
* VAMP
* Venera-D
* VERITAS
* VICI
* VISAGE
* VISE
* VOX
* Zephyr

|

Flybys|

* Europa Clipper
* Hayabusa2
* Mercury-P
* Laplace-P
* NASA Uranus orbiter and probe

Cancelled / concepts|

* European Venus Explorer
* Inspiration Mars
* TMK-Mavr
* Venus Orbiting Imaging Radar
* Vesta

Program overviews|

* Venera
* 3MV
* Mariner
* Pioneer Venus
* Vega

Related|

* Colonization
* Observations and explorations
* List of artificial objects on Venus
* List of missions
* Manned Venus flyby
* Terraforming
* VeSpR

* Missions are ordered by launch date. † indicates failure en route or before any data returned.

* v
* t
* e

Space tourism

Companies|

| Active|

* Bigelow Aerospace
* Blue Origin
* Airbus D&S
* Mojave Aerospace Ventures
* Orbital Technologies
* Orion Span
* PDAS
* Sierra Nevada Corporation
* Space Adventures
* The Spaceship Company
* SpaceX
* #dearMoon project
* Virgin Galactic

|

Defunct|

* Armadillo Aerospace
* Golden Spike Company
* RocketShip Tours
* Space Island Group (Space Island Project)
* XCOR Aerospace

Organizations|

* ARCA
* Association of Autonomous Astronauts
* Astronaute Club Européen
* Commercial Spaceflight Federation
* Copenhagen Suborbitals
* Space Frontier Foundation
* Space Tourism Society

Spacecraft|

* Current
* Soyuz
* Future
* Boeing CST-100 Starliner
* Dragon 2
* New Glenn
* New Shepard
* SpaceShipTwo
* Starship

Living in space|

* Commercialization of space
* Space colonization
* Space habitat
* Space medicine
* Space station
* Suborbital spaceplane

Space competitions|

* America's Space Prize
* Ansari X Prize
* Google Lunar X Prize
* Space elevator competitions

Space tourists|

* Dennis Tito
* Mark Shuttleworth
* Gregory Olsen
* Anousheh Ansari
* Charles Simonyi
* Richard Garriott
* Guy Laliberté
* Yusaku Maezawa (planned)

* Tourism on the Moon

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