"It's a red planet" said the kid

ExplorersWeb's Mars mission is already making waves. "Tom will you have time to finish my website before you leave?" worry fellow explorers such as Henk De Velde. Readers offer solutions on how to clean urine while kids need no explanations to 'why'.

Yesterday, we met with a journalist friend for a long hike in the Rocky Mountains. Our buddy introduced us to his eldest son:

"Do you know where these people will go when you grow up?"
"No?"
"To Mars."
"Cool."
"Do you know where that is?" we asked.
"It's a red planet."
"OK then, so do you want to come?" we challenged.
"YES" came the kid's reply faster than his mother could scream "no".
"Well, how old are you?" we asked.
"8."
"Hmmm," we said, "that means you'll only be 15-16." And then we turned back to the grownups to continue our chat.

A while later, the boy sneaked up and pulled at Tina's skirt. "I'll be 19 when we leave," he said. "But you're only 8?" she answered. "No, I'm almost 9," he replied. The math still didn't add up but neither do deadlines, Tina knew. "OK, I'll think about it," she said. As we bid goodbye one hour later, the kid had done some more thinking. "I'll have to do really good at math and athletics in school," he informed us.

"Why did he say he must do well at athletics?" Tom pondered later in the car. "Don't know, maybe because it's an expedition," Tina offered, "here's the funny thing though: NASA are breaking their backs to get kids more into space and science - and we just did it in a heartbeat. Go figure."

Check in later this week for the next entry in the Mars Mission: Food.

ExplorersWeb founders, US residents Tom and Tina Sjogren are planning a private mission to Mars. The expedition preparations have a hands-on, simple exploration approach and are openly disclosed.