On Mars by 2030?

obstacles and rocks up to 2ft high and travel about 30 metres per hour. It can also analyse samples drilled from rocks in the hope of finding traces of water and alien lifeforms.

Colony

Prof Chris Lintott, 36, an astrophysicist at Oxford University, said these huge advances show the idea of forming a human colony on Mars is well within our grasp.

He said: “Everyone really wants to know if there will be astronauts on Mars, or if we’ll be able to go to Mars on holiday. I’m much more hopeful than I’ve been in a long while. The technology barriers to forming a human settlement on Mars have been overcome.

“Sojourner was a huge deal at the time but it was basically a tea tray rolling around.

“With Curiosity we have a mobile geological lab the size of a decent sized car, which is able to do things like shoot lasers at rocks and analyse them from a distance, so things have certainly moved on.” But he added: “It is a long way and dangerous. I expect not everyone will survive.” Dr Aderin-Pocock said: “The biggest challenge in getting to Mars at the moment is the cost. It will be many, many billions.”

She said reaching Mars would take six to eight months and life there would pose physical and mental challenges She said: “There are all sorts of medical challenges in being in space for that long, like radiation, and how being in a weightless environment means your bone density reduces. “The other challenge would be psychological. Astronauts on the International Space Station can see Earth, and they’re in close contact with people on Earth.

“With Mars I think it will be quite scary being out there on your own. And also you’re in a pretty small tin can, with the same people for up to eight months. That can get quite grating after a while.

“But finding the money and overcoming physical challenges isn’t insurmountable.”