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The stars have long been a source of culture, intrigue, and mystery. For thousands of years, humans have looked to the heavens for stories and navigation. Of course, it was never enough to look, we had to go there. Humans first landed on the moon in 1969. Now, almost 45 years later, people are planning to visit the stars again. This time they’re aiming for Mars.
In December of 2017, President Donald Trump signed Space Policy Directive-1. This presidential order directed NASA to explore the solar system, seeking knowledge and opportunities. As part of this campaign’s strategic aims, US astronauts will be returning to the Moon to prepare the next generation of astronauts for the mission to Mars.
NASA’s manned missions to Mars are planned for the 2030s, culminating in a surface landing. Will NASA be the first? Could humans land on Mars before 2030? Would you be willing to make a bet on that? Astronauts.
Entertainment Bets on Mars
Elon Musk and SpaceX are planning an unmanned mission to Mars for 2022. If successful, this will deliver cargo to the Red Planet which will confirm water resources, identify hazards, and set up initial power and life support infrastructure. A manned mission is planned for 2024.
Is SpaceX reliable enough to send people 34 million miles away? The company is already behind schedule. Elon Musk originally planned to send two space tourists on a trajectory around the Moon in 2018 aboard the Dragon 2 capsule. This was to serve as technology development for the company’s further plans to colonize Mars.
The journey was canceled and replaced by a lunar flyby in 2023. If a trip around the moon was postponed by five years, how will SpaceX be ready for a manned mission to Mars by 2024? Whatever the outcome, if you make your way over to the Bovada sportsbook, you have the chance to bet on whether humans (regardless of organization) will land on Mars by 2025.
The odds of a pre-2025 landing are currently offered at +275. If, on the other hand, you don’t think humans will be exploring Mars by this time, you can choose a “No” bet with odds of -450.
Who Will Be First?
It’s not only a question of whether a person will set foot on Mars before 2025, but also, which organization will charter the journey.
In addition to date, Bovada is offering odds on the different organizations capable of sending humans to Mars. Because SpaceX has published details of its planned missions, they have odds of -350 for being the first humans on Mars. Blue Origin is next in line with odds of +400. However, Blue Origin is focusing on moon missions, so they seem an unlikely option.
Aerospace giant Boeing is also in the running. During a recent interview, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said that he genuinely believes the first person on Mars will be stepping out of a Boeing rocket. This is big talk, but will it come to fruition? Bovada places the odds at +600.
Finally, Donald Trump and his potential sixth branch of the military – Space Force – may be quite a stretch, although odds of +1400 are still being offered. Notably strange is that there are no odds for NASA. This seems strange given that President Trump has signed the Space Policy Directive-1. Regardless, Bovada is not accepting bets on NASA being the first organization to Mars.
How Should Betting Go on Mars Expeditions?
At the moment, SpaceX has the best odds of completing a manned mission to Mars. Elon Musk has shown a great interest in this, but SpaceX is already behind their planned timeline.
Boeing may still be in the running. The company is working alongside NASA to create the Space Launch System, allegedly NASA’s most powerful rocket to date. The development of this rocket is part of NASA’s plans for deep space exploration.
Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin seem focused on the moon, but who knows? It’s possible Blue Origin will overtake the competition and make human history.
