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To: The President of the United States, Members of Congress, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
In the spirit of the
Apollo missions, and of John F. Kennedy’s 1962 call-to-action which launched
America’s successful effort to put a man on the moon, it is time to set
a bold new goal for our nation:
To resume the human
exploration of space, and lead a multi-national manned mission to Mars, in
this decade.
As the most powerful nation in the history of the world, America has a unique leadership role to play. We must have the courage and will to take up the great challenges of our time despite danger and difficulty, “Not because they are easy, but because they are hard. Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills.”
We choose to go to Mars now, at the dawn of the 21st century, not merely for the technological advancements that will come from such an achievement, nor for the wondrous discoveries undoubtedly awaiting us on the Red Planet. Rather, let us choose to send the first human explorers to Mars because of who we will become by doing it.
Americans have always had the courage to “throw our caps over the wall,” to commit ourselves to higher goals without needing to know in advance how we will succeed -- only that we must. Let us resume, in this decade, the human exploration of our solar system both as a gift and a challenge to all future generations. And also because it will be the greatest adventure of all time.
Let us go to Mars, in the name of peace, for all Mankind.
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