[Spaceships] [High-Tech] [Action] Cydonia Or Bust, TL8

[Polydamas]

The military aspect makes it even more of a forlorn hope. I can't see any honourable officer signing off on a plan for a mission like that: too many things are certain to go wrong in unpredictable and lethal ways. For example, what if the soldiers arrive too sick from radiation, microgravity, dietary deficiencies or trace pollutants in the air to fight? I think at near-future tech they are stuck on Hohlman orbits, so what if the Martans respond during the year or two they have to spend on or near Mars waiting for the planets to align so they can return home?

I think Fred's timeframe is roughly right. It would be impossible to hide the plans for a manned mission to Mars, including the unmanned test runs.