In 1988, Isaac Asimov—the science fiction pioneer who coined the term “robotics”—predicted that manned Mars expeditions would be under way by 2014.
While Asimov’s prediction may be a little premature, his dream of humans living somewhere other than Earth is gaining ground 57 years after humankind set foot on the Moon.
Technological advances are converging with a push to create a permanent lunar base to serve as a stepping stone to Mars as well as support the exploitation of the Moon’s resources.