NASA Images- SLS Rocket Test
A Test of the SLS rocket on launch pad, :credit NASA

The next big adventure in space is the trip to Mars.  Although there is a ton of speculation about the ability of humans to make it to and live on the red planet, the plan, for NASA is to send astronauts to our sister planet by 2026, if all goes well.  Other groups have developed plans as well, including the infamous MARS One, a company launched from the Netherlands, which aims to send space cadets sooner.

Therefore it is a challenge that the best and brightest minds have been chasing to engineer the technology to do it.  NASA recently released images of the rocket they believe will do the trick.  The SLS Solid Rocket Booster is taller than the Statue of Liberty and consists of 5 Stages, Check out the graphic below...

SLS Rocket Graphic
An infographic from NASA on the SLS

http://news.yahoo.com/hello-spaceship-being-humans-mars-193900403.html

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasamarshall/sets/72157627559536895/with/16777244256/?ytcheck=1