Two weeks after the Moon landing, Werner von Braun presented to the NASA Space Task Group this rare document with detailed coloured images, regarding the forthcoming exploration of planets. The document proves how the renowned rocket scientist was conceptually and technically ahead of his time.
The information presented here describes a method of landing men on the planet Mars in 1982. The scientific goals of the mission are described and the key decision dates are identified. The unmanned planetary missions described in Part I are critical to the final designs selected.
The 1981 manned Mars mission (1982 landing on Mars) is shown as an integral part of the total space program for the next two decades. The systems and experience resulting from the Apollo program and the missions proposed for the 1970's provide the technical and programmatic foundation for this undertaking. A 1982 manned Mars landing is a logical focus for the programs of the next decade.
