The Red Dragon missions are a collaboration between NASA and SpaceX. They aim “to land large payloads propulsively on Mars.” For now, the plan doesn’t include sending astronauts to the red planet. For now.

Our species may be the only intelligent life in the universe. If so, perhaps we will be the ones to colonize the universe with intelligence. Or,  the universe is home to other intelligent species. What encounters those would be! Either way, it’s hard to imagine not making a trip to the red planet. What do you think?

Source: Mars By 2018? SpaceX And NASA Announce A New Space Project : The Two-Way : NPR