We might be a few decades away from seeing humans land on Mars, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to speculate over which space organization will be the first to put boots on the red soil.
Popular Mechanics asked Raphael Esparza, one of the top handicappers in the sports betting industry, who has the best chance.
The results? At 5:1, SpaceX has the current lead, he said, citing funds and Elon Musk’s burning desire to get there.
No surprise, at number two (80:1) is NASA, which is already developing the Space Launch System to propel the Orion spacecraft to Mars. "If it weren't for the budget cuts, NASA would be the favorite,” he said.
Side note: If the name Orion sounds familiar (no, not the constellation), it’s because Hamilton built a custom circular dolly to help NASA test launch the capsule here on Earth.
Other candidates include China, the European Space Agency, Russia and the Mars Society, a volunteer/non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to put humans on Mars.
While we’re excited about the competition and the number of players in the space race, odds are the first mission to Mars will likely be a collaborative effort. And in our book, that’s a win for everyone.
Source: Engadget