Will we be ready to put a human footprint on Mars in 15 years?

The countdown has begun to send humans to Mars. But what will it take, what have we already planned for - and is it really possible that we'll be ready?

If you ever wanted to visit Mars, 2018 would be a really great time to go.

In July this year, the Earth and Mars will come closer than at any other point in the last 15 years. They will be in perihelic opposition, meaning Mars will reach the nearest point in its elliptical orbit while the Earth simultaneously passes directly between Mars and the sun.