Manned Mars mission isn't science fiction & could have 'reconciliatory' effect on the world – Russian cosmonaut Ryazansky

Sending humans to Mars isn't as far-fetched as it might sound, Russian cosmonaut Sergey Ryazansky told RT, noting that a joint mission to the Red Planet would serve as a unifying triumph for people of all nations.

In an interview with SophieCo, the Russian cosmonaut and biochemist explained that manned space travel to Mars probably wouldn't be any more dangerous, from a health perspective, than current space missions. He pointed out that "the total amount of radiation an astronaut gets these days exceeds what a Mars mission crew would get," while stressing that more research on the matter was needed.

Ryazansky told host Sophie Shevardnadze that he was an enthusiastic supporter of an international mission to Mars, arguing that such a monumental joint endeavor would help to ease political tensions back on Earth.

I'm a huge fan of the idea and I really hope that a manned mission to Mars will be a joint effort signifying humanity's success rather than the success of a single nation.

The Russian scientist pointed out that the International Space Station (ISS) is already "living proof" that nations can overcome political divides and be "successful as a team."