MEDIA ADVISORY

ANN ARBOR—A University of Michigan aerospace engineer who studies advanced thrusters is available to discuss the challenges of getting humans to Mars.

Multimillionaire Dennis Tito today announced his plans to send two people to Mars and back.

Ben Longmier, an assistant professor in the U-M Department of Aerospace Engineering, says sending humans to Mars would cost NASA more than it’s ever budgeted. Longmier discusses the issues in this video: www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HBIbN0ObXnw He can be reached at longmier@umich.edu or (734) 764-6792.

U-M has a studio with satellite uplink capabilities.