What are some of the challenges that a NASA engineering team might encounter in getting a mission funded?

Create a mission –

From your reading about how NASA designs missions, (Reading 1, Reading 2) You will be creating a presentation that will send a robotic spacecraft to your destination. Use past and current space exploration missions to inform your presentation. (I will do the presentation. just write a paper that included all the information) Make sure to include the following:

Mission Concept and Technology

Destination (30%)
The destination is Mars.

Identify at least three challenges to exploring this destination.
Identify at least three scientific questions that this mission will attempt to answer.

Technology and Cost (30%)

What will the spacecraft look like? What instruments will be used and what will power this mission, and why?
How much will this cost? (best estimates on different parts of the missions such as rocket launch, and build cost as well as estimates for long term sustainment).

Conclusion Questions (40%)

Why would this mission be an important one for NASA to consider?

What are some of the challenges that a NASA engineering team might encounter in getting a mission funded? How might this inform you about how missions are funded in general?

Reading 1: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/722/anatomy-of-a-space-mission-how-to-get-from-an-idea-to-the-launchpad-and-beyond/

Reading 2: https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/how-to-plan-a-space-mission

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