A Vision for the Exploration of Mars: Robotic Precursors Followed by Humans to Mars Orbit in 2033

The reformulation of the Mars program gives NASA a rare opportunity to deliver a credible vision in which humans, robots, and advancements in information technology combine to open the deep space frontier to Mars. The questions to be pursued at Mars are as fundamental as "Are we alone?". President Obama presented his view of this larger challenge to NASA and the US in a speech on 15 April 2010 by declaring: "Early in the next decade, a set of crewed j/ights will test and prove the systems required for exploration beyond low Earth orbit. And by 2025, we expect new spacecraj/ designed for long journeys to allow us to begin the first-ever crewed missions beyond the Moon into deep space. So we'll start -we'll start by sending astronauts to an asteroid for the first time in history. By the mid-2030s, I believe we can send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to Earth And a landing on Mars will follow. " There is a broad challenge in the reformulation of the Mars exploration program that truly sets the stage for: 'a strategic collaboration between the Science Mission Directorate, the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate and the Office of the Chief Technologist, for the next several decades of exploring Mars'.Any strategy that links all three challenge areas listed into a true long term strategic program necessitates discussion. NASA's SMD and HEOMD should accept the President's challenge and vision by developing an integrated program that will enable a human expedition to Mars orbit in 2033 with the goal of returning samples[l] suitable for addressing the question of whether life exists or ever existed on Mars