Earth and Mars from Space with Space Station

Mars Mission: How Global Collaboration Can Get Us There

Rhea Morgan in Science & Nature August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Exploring a data-driven proposal, named Vela, for international cooperation in space exploration, making the dream of establishing a human presence on Mars a reality."

The allure of Mars has captivated humanity for decades. The question of whether we can become an interplanetary species isn't just about curiosity; it's fundamental to our long-term survival. Establishing a human presence on Mars is vital, but it demands resources, and that's where international collaboration becomes essential.

The UN Office of Outer Space Affairs emphasizes the importance of synergy in space development and international cooperation through data and infrastructure sharing, particularly highlighted in Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG17). However, current efforts are divided, primarily between the Artemis program and the Roscosmos-CNSA initiatives, both aiming to establish permanent human settlements on the Moon. To truly expand our reach into space, it's essential to consolidate economic resources to support technologically ambitious expeditions.

A new study proposes a data-driven approach to a multinational space mission named Vela, designed for the development of an orbiting space station around Mars in the late 2030s. By analyzing the budget data of the top five federally-funded space agencies—CNSA, ESA, JAXA, NASA, and Roscosmos—this mission aims to distribute economic resources and technological capabilities effectively, ensuring programmatic redundancy and increasing the likelihood of success.

Why Mars? Understanding the Motivation Behind Interplanetary Travel

Earth and Mars from Space with Space Station

Establishing a human presence on Mars is not just about planting a flag on another planet; it’s about answering fundamental questions about our existence and ensuring our survival as a species. While improving life on Earth remains a priority, the pursuit of interplanetary travel addresses our innate curiosity and provides potential solutions for long-term sustainability.

However, the costs associated with human space exploration are substantial. Sharing these costs among international partners is vital to making such ventures financially and technologically feasible. By pooling resources, nations can collaborate on ambitious projects that would be impossible to undertake individually.

Economic Benefits: Cost-sharing reduces the financial burden on individual nations.
Technological Advancement: Pooling expertise fosters innovation and accelerates technological progress.
Political Stability: International partnerships protect programs from national policy shifts.
Increased Reliability: Collaboration enhances a nation's reputation as a dependable partner.

The International Space Station (ISS) stands as a prime example of successful international collaboration. With a construction and operation cost estimated at $150 billion, the ISS has facilitated nearly 3,000 scientific experiments and spurred the development of new technologies. Yet, the ISS also serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the importance of realistic planning and resource allocation to avoid cost overruns and capability limitations.

The Future is Collaborative: Building a Martian Outpost Together

The Vela mission presents a compelling vision for international collaboration in space exploration. By leveraging the strengths and resources of multiple space agencies, this mission aims to establish a human presence on Mars in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. The success of such an endeavor hinges on the ability of nations to work together, share resources, and commit to a common goal—expanding humanity's reach into the cosmos.

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This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2408.0473,

Title: Vela: A Data-Driven Proposal For Joint Collaboration In Space Exploration

Subject: econ.em

Authors: Holly M. Dinkel, Jason K. Cornelius

Published: 08-08-2024

Everything You Need To Know

What is the main goal of the proposed Vela mission, and how does it plan to achieve this?

The primary objective of the Vela mission is to establish a human presence on Mars. It intends to achieve this by fostering international collaboration among major space agencies such as CNSA, ESA, JAXA, NASA, and Roscosmos. Vela proposes a data-driven approach, focusing on sharing resources, technological capabilities, and ensuring programmatic redundancy to increase the likelihood of mission success. It plans to develop an orbiting space station around Mars in the late 2030s, demonstrating a commitment to long-term sustainability in space exploration.

Why is international collaboration considered crucial for a Mars mission, and what are the specific benefits of this approach?

International collaboration is essential for a Mars mission due to the substantial costs and technological complexities involved in human space exploration. By pooling resources and expertise, participating nations can share the financial burden and accelerate technological advancements. This approach also brings about political stability, protecting programs from national policy shifts, and enhances a nation's reputation as a dependable partner. Furthermore, sharing resources facilitates ambitious projects, like the Vela mission, that would be impossible for any single nation to undertake alone, making the dream of establishing a human presence on Mars a reality.

What role does the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs and Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG17) play in the context of a Mars mission?

The UN Office of Outer Space Affairs emphasizes the importance of synergy in space development and international cooperation. This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG17), which promotes partnerships to achieve shared goals. SDG17 encourages the sharing of data and infrastructure, which is critical for a collaborative Mars mission. These initiatives provide a framework for international agencies, like CNSA, ESA, JAXA, NASA, and Roscosmos, to work together, share resources, and align their efforts towards the common goal of space exploration, particularly in missions such as Vela.

Can you explain the significance of the International Space Station (ISS) in the context of planning a Mars mission, and what lessons can be learned?

The International Space Station (ISS) serves as both an example and a cautionary tale for planning a Mars mission. With a construction and operation cost estimated at $150 billion, the ISS demonstrates the feasibility and benefits of international collaboration. It has enabled nearly 3,000 scientific experiments and fostered technological development. However, it also highlights the importance of realistic planning and resource allocation. The ISS's history reveals the potential for cost overruns and capability limitations if these aspects are not managed effectively. Therefore, lessons learned from the ISS are invaluable for missions like Vela to ensure efficient resource allocation and mitigate potential challenges.

How does the proposed Vela mission address the challenges faced by current space exploration efforts, and what are the expected outcomes?

The Vela mission tackles the challenges faced by current space exploration efforts by promoting a data-driven approach to international collaboration. It aims to consolidate economic resources and technological capabilities by including CNSA, ESA, JAXA, NASA, and Roscosmos. This approach ensures programmatic redundancy and increases the likelihood of success, particularly by establishing an orbiting space station around Mars in the late 2030s. The expected outcomes include cost-effective and sustainable human presence on Mars, leveraging the strengths and resources of multiple space agencies to expand humanity's reach into the cosmos. It addresses the limitations of fragmented efforts like the Artemis program and the Roscosmos-CNSA initiatives by fostering a unified, collaborative approach.