Many scientists are working in the field of cryogenics to see if we could, in a sense, freeze people for transportation to Mars a la The Empire Strikes Back. This would require much less food, space, and water and be much less expensive. The problem is that the technology is not yet stable and has not been thoroughly tested.
In addressing the first idea on how to get to Mars, one must also factor in the humans. Think about your family. You probably spend 7 waking hours with them a day. Now how many arguments break out in a single day? Imagine spending 8 months in a capsule shooting through space. You would be at each other's throats in a matter of weeks. Remember that road trip? Multiply that by 10 and factor out the hotels and rest stops. The point I’m trying to make is that no group of humans, no matter how well they get along, can spend that long together without literally going insane. It would be difficult to contact earth and nobody would be there to break up the fights. If we went with the cryogenics option, who knows the kind of psychological breakdown somebody would have after being in a coma for 8+ months.
In his speech announcing America’s plan to go to the moon, John F. Kennedy proclaimed, “We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…” Nobody said the journey would be any easier this time around. Is it worth it? Should we bother? In case you haven't already figured it out, I love science and technology. I think it’s inevitable. Humans have always wanted to--forgive me if I sound cliche--see what is just out of reach. It’s in our nature. The curiosity rover is aptly named. It is curiosity that drives us to go to new heights. Be there by 2030? Maybe, but I’ll be watching from the safety of the ground.
For Further Reading:
National Geographic November 2016
Time special issue: Mission to Mars