Mars

Public passion is all well and good, but it will take more than big talk to get to Mars by 2025, space specialists say. Even several rockets' worth of cash won't easily solve the technical challenges.

Heidi Beemer has dreamed of going to Mars since she was 8 years old. In January, NPR talked to her about her application to Mars One, which is still pending — now she explains she has a plan B, too.

The new vehicle, named Orion, is designed to carry humans into deep space. But most Americans aren't aware it exists.

A U.S. probe cost $637 million to get to Mars; an Indian mission cost about a tenth as much. There are at least a few reasons why, both teams agree — starting with the differing shapes of each orbit.

Scientists hope NASA's MAVEN probe, which went into orbit Sunday night, will provide insight into why the Martian climate changed drastically billions of years ago.

The dose of radiation an astronaut would experience on a trip to Mars is higher than the annual limit set for workers at nuclear power plants. But Mars enthusiasts say the radiation threat isn't high enough to cancel the trip.