Is a Privately Funded Manned Mission to Mars Possible?

 “while Mars Direct might cost $30 to $50 billion if implemented by NASA, if done by a private outfit spending its own money, the out-of-pocket cost would probably be in the $5 billion range.”  The wide disparity, according to the numbers folks, accounts for the efficiencies of private companies ($5 billion) compared to the more spendy, bureaucratic public option ($50 billion).