What should be the name of the first manned Mars mission?

Question

Im talking about the actual spacecraft, for example the Apollo 11 craft was called "Columbia", the lander was called "Eagle".

What would be a great name for the Mars mission?

Answer 1

Aries

the Greek name for Mars

why not?

Answer 2

I personally liked "Mars Direct" but then the government dropped the program. Perhaps the "Mayflower"? Oh I don't know. Interesting question. Have a star.

Answer 3

I like Tyr, since he is the Norse counterpart for Mars (godly-speaking)

Or how about naming it for one of the many fiction authors who have written about Mars?

I think I would go for Ray (after Bradbury)

Or maybe Marvin - after the cartoon martian?

Answer 4

"Little Green" ( manned craft)

Answer 5

I would call it the "Santa Maria" after the ship that Christopher Columbus sailed to America. To me sending humans to Mars is sort of like the way early explorers took to the sea without a clear idea where they were going or what they would find. The risks, the excitement, the uncertainties all combined to make this trip just as risky as the first seafarers' was.

Answer 6

Historically the crew gets to name the individual spacecraft, with NASA approval (thanks to "Gumdrop" and "Spider").  Multi-crew vehicles such as space shuttle orbiters are chosen by NASA leadership, as are program and project names.  The program already has a name:  Constellation.  The spacecraft class has a name:  Orion.  The launch vehicle family has a name:  Ares.

NASA has lately given the public a more direct role in naming space exploration equipment (e.g., Spirit and Opportunity).  Time will tell whether Mars spacecraft will be named this way or the classic way.

Answer 7

Barsoom Express.

Answer 8

The martian

Answer 9

Red Rocket... because it's going to the Red Planet

Answer 10

Sticking with the traditional Greek mythology names I'd name the command craft "Daedalus" and the lander "Argo"

Answer 11

Mars Direct 1 because Mars Semi-direct 1 doesn't sound right...

Zubrin has got the best idea for going to Mars and lets keep it simple.

Answer 12

Space Turtle

sounds good and is does not employ favouritism to countries or regions

Answer 13

They might use the Columbia name again for a Mars ship,  

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Ares the Greek god of war and their name for the planet Mars is being used now for the launch rocket for the Orion spacecraft. Antares is the new name for the LEM.

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I saw something on NASA video recently and they talked about how huge a Mars ship would have to be.  It would require perhaps 8 different Ares 5 launches and assembly in Earth orbit.  The whole ship would be larger than the ISS.

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