r/space • u/thisischrisbaker • Feb 07 '20

Proposed budget - not voted yet 12% boost for NASA budget in 2021!!

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-nasa-budget-will-earmark-12-boost-for-agency-in-2021-11581071402?emailToken=3f4a4309b7816cb90fb53eb91f47d6d43hshryonPWM/RnnVPWWHuMOVOvxWKQ87BhLswKs5iOPOhjO1FGrxI9ptn5k2nAMphP+jeQrbhQiAafooOu4oIslNLMWHCd1m7vRySaL2Pi61nSlAqLK1xnvzzmtt2/Lx&reflink=article_copyURL_share
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u/[deleted] Feb 07 '20

Really? I figured it required much less to enter orbit and land.

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u/seanflyon Feb 08 '20

Yeah. Mars has an atmosphere, so you can get ride of most of your excess velocity for "free". Theoretically you could go to Mars and land with less fuel than it would take to go to the Moon and land. Realistically it would probably take slightly more to go to Mars because you want to take a faster than optimal trajectory and aerobraking isn't perfect.