Outline for manned Mars mission

A 30-month round trip to Mars iwth a minimal crew as been planned by NASA. After following President G.W. Bush's idea of sending humans back to the Moon by 2010, they also decided to send humans to Mars. The ship for Mars would be put together in low-Earth orbit using Ares V rockets. The mission would take place in 2031 and take 6 to 7 months to make it to Mars. But before then a cargo lander and a surface habitat would be sent separatley in 2028 and 2029. When the astronauts arrive in 2031 they would spend 16 months on the surface living in their habitat using nuclear power to power it. There is small chance that supplies could be sent, but most of the astronauts would need to be self sufficient as to taking care of their habitat as well as making new parts. Air and water would be recycled in their spacecraft. Plants would be grown on board to feed the crew. The real challenge is making sure the crew makes it there okay.