[17] They stated that the January 2018 launch window offered a rare orbit opportunity to travel to Mars and return to Earth in 501 days.

The flight would take the spacecraft within 800 kilometres of the surface of Venus, using the planet for a gravity assist to speed the travel to Mars.

[18] According to a paper written by Tito,[citation needed] "the mission would require no maneuvers except small course corrections after a trans-Martian injection burn, [and] would allow no aborts.

... [It will] use low Earth orbit launch and crewed-spacecraft technology, outfitted for the long duration of a flight to Mars."

[21] A spokesman for NASA stated in February 2013 that "Inspiration Mars's proposed schedule is a significant challenge due to life support systems, space radiation response, habitats and the human psychology of being in a small spacecraft for over 500 days", but that "we remain open to further collaboration as their proposal and plans for a later mission develop".