FWD: [marssocietynewsletter] Gorshkov: Russian manned Mission to Mars by 2020 is Feasible

Gorshkov: Russian manned Mission to Mars by 2020 is Feasible

Here is the article in russian:
http://www.mk.ru/numbers/2166/article75047.htm

Here is a link of the text of the Mars Society News letter:
http://www.geocities.com/the_wetzels/Mars.txt

The translation is a little weird but from the gist of it I got this:

Initially they are going to use 20 Protons to assemble the Mars Vehicle
in LEO
Its going to be Solar Powered Ion driver, with the intention of it
being reusable
The crew is going to be 4, with what sounds like only 2 doing a surface
visit of only 2-4 weeks!
Says it will take 2 1/2 years, not clear if that is the total mission
flight plan or if its only the Earth to Mars leg, on rereading I think
it means round trip
Of course there is no mention of what the cost will be.

Says the US/NASA is planning on building a spaceport on the Moon and
launching to Mars from there. AFAIK, any talk about Mars in relation
to VSE/ESAS ususally mentions 'testing' elements of the Mars mission on
the Moon, no word on a base or launch facilities. Any talk about the
Mars mission I get the impression its going to me orbital assembly
using the CaLV, to launch the elements.

Of course I'll believe it when I see it.
Opinions anybody?

Just $0.02

Space Cadet