The real goal is to go to the stars. The method was DEVELOPED back in the 1950s and '60s. It would use atomic bombs as propulsion, and it is the only practical way developed so far - https://newatlas.com/orion-project-atom-bomb-spaceship/49454/. --- To protect the earth from radiation, these atomic ships, once built, will lift themselves using standard propulsion systems, into a solar orbit far higher than Earth orbit. From there they will ride atomic bomb blasts to go to Mars and beyond, accelerating to as much as .3 or .4 of the speed of light (.3 of light speed is about 56,000 mps). Depending on how they approach Mars (from a higher than Mars solar orbit), the amount of radiation to get to Mars will be very slight, and Earth almost non-existent because of the location where the bombs will be "shot out" of the back end of the spaceship. Read the article in the link: To the stars by atom bomb: The incredible tale of the top secret Orion Project."