Inspiration Mars: Private Mars Voyage in 2021 (Gallery)

Inspiration Mars Panelists

Inspiration Mars Foundation (via Twitter as @InspirationMars)

June Scobee Rodgers Speaks at Inspiration Mars Press Conference

Inspiration Mars Foundation (via Twitter as @InspirationMars)

June Scobee Rodgers, widow of NASA astronaut Dick Scobee (lost in the Challenger tragedy), lends her support to the Inspiration Mars effort, announced on Feb. 27, 2013, in Washington, DC. Dennis Tito, space tourist and project leader, looks on at right.

Inspiration Mars Periapsis Diagram

Inspiration Mars Foundation

Inspiration Mars plans to send a spacecraft to Mars as shown in this diagram of periapsis. Project announced Feb. 27, 2013.

Inspiration Mars Foundation's Spacecraft

Inspiration Mars Foundation

An artist's illustration of the Inspiration Mars Foundation's spacecraft for a 2021 mission to Mars by a two-person crew. The private Mars mission would be a flyby trip around the Red Planet.

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Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.