A graphic from NASA’s website illustrates the journey from Earth to Mars. (Image courtesy/NASA)

WARSAW — Dreams of putting humans on Mars may be less than a generation away, and NASA’s Norman Tokarz is coming to Warsaw to tell how it will be done.

Tokarz is the operations manager for ground systems development and operations at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. He will give a presentation during Kosciusko County’s Indiana Bicentennial celebration Saturday, Oct. 1, at the county fairgrounds, Warsaw. The presentation will be titled, “Journey to Mars.”

While Tokarz has not yet finalized details of the presentation, he does know he will talk about developing the new rocket that will carry astronauts boldly, where no one has gone before — Mars. The rocket, he said, is being developed now at NASA centers across the nation.

“A lot of folks are not aware that NASA is actually endeavoring to go back to deep space and on to Mars,” he said. “Most people aren’t even aware.”

Tokarz hopes to change that. His presentation will be for all ages, however he especially hopes to appeal to 4-H’ers and elementary-age students, who he pointed out are the right age to be the first astronauts to travel to Mars. Tokarz hopes to inspire some of them to consider a career with NASA.

“The kids today are going to be the scientists and explorers of tomorrow,” he said.

Warsaw Community High School Earth Science Teacher Melissa Warner noted she hopes to incorporate the presentation into a learning experience for WCS students of all grades and perhaps even college students.

“All of the earth science teachers at the high school are super excited about it,” she said.

Warner was involved in the process of getting Tokarz to come to Warsaw, which involved writing a letter to NASA. It is still too early in the planning stages to know for sure how things will play out, she said, but she hopes Tokarz will be able to speak at one of the schools. Again, she said, these are currently just ideas being discussed and are not definite plans.

NASA does not simply plan to build a rocket and send it to Mars, however. They are planning an unmanned flight, then manned test flights around the moon and back to Kennedy Space Center. Deep-space practice missions will work to ensure systems are working properly. Tokarz plans to outline all of this in October.

To learn more about NASA’s Journey to Mars, click here. Further reading is available at the following links:

NASA’s First Launch of SLS and Orion

Ground Systems Development and Operations Program

Space Launch System