well I know the NASA is sending these little robot to mars around June. ( there is a god link for interested people: http://sse.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mar...ars-smlan.html )


they said its the first step before considering actually sending real people there!

But I've heard the German were going to send a empty shuttle in december 2003 to take picture of mars and them they will send human. see: http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/index.html