Next Stop: Mars

Both the Russians and Europeans are planning unmanned missions to Mars within the next six years.

Also, "Nikolai Sevastyanov, the head of Russia's space construction company RKK Energia, said earlier that Russia could carry out a manned flight to Mars by 2030."

And not to make this completely reminiscent of the past, but suddenly my competitive side is rearing up a bit. We have to be there before them. Otherwise, my convincing NASA to send a completely unskilled, untrained, half-blind theology major along on their first manned mission won't help me at all in my quest to become the first person to walk on Mars. And that would be tragic.