some billionaire has to be thinking that their ultimate "mark on the universe" would be to start seeding life on mars.
Call it the 21st century version of the Carnegie donation program. The Gates Path to Life. Sounds romantic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CubeSat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interplanetary_Transport_Netwo...
For all we know, it may already have been done.
If we want to explore an uncontaminated Mars for native life, we have a very narrow window in which to do so. The ability to deliberately seed Mars with life is already amazingly cheap, and is swiftly become cheaper and more accessible.
But will this allow you to land on Mars, or just a flyby?
Given enough money and motivation, you can get microbes to mars.