Exploring the genesis of the initiative and diving into the process of how such an ambitious endeavor, accurately portraying the first human mission and settlement on the red planet, came to life.

In 2037, a devastating tragedy in the colony forces everyone on Mars and Earth to question the mission. While the Olympus Town settlement tries to cope and continue its mission, controlling groups back on Earth struggle with a potential decision to end the mission. In the present-day documentary, commercial space company SpaceX again attempts to pioneer the rocket technology that would help mankind reach the red planet.

In 2037, the dust storm has lasted for months and the Olympus Town settlement's infrastructure is suffering as well as the mental well-being of its residents. The psychological pressures of life on Mars reveal themselves while the crew is trapped inside the habitat. In the present-day documentary, scientists study the effects of extreme isolation in various long-term analog missions in order to prepare for a future manned mission to Mars.

Four years have passed since the Daedalus crew landed on Mars and established the first settlement, Olympus Town. A new crew arrives to help execute plans for expansion and search for life. But a dust storm threatens the outpost. In the present-day documentary, the bustling McMurdo Station in Antarctica serves as a modern example of how humans will settle Mars, as scientists look for insights on how to discover life on another planet.

In 2033, the Daedalus mission is in jeopardy as the crew struggles to find a permanent shelter that can provide long-term protection from radiation. The team must locate a suitable site for their settlement before their mission is cut short. In the present day documentary, the European Space Agency and Roscosmos, Russia's former federal space agency, partner to launch an orbiter that will help future Mars missions prepare for settlement through advanced imagery.

In 2033, the Daedalus crew battles across the harsh Martian terrain to reach their prebuilt base camp. A race against the clock to reach the safety of camp begins when the ship commander reveals he has been injured during landing. In the present-day documentary, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly undergoes a historic yearlong mission on the International Space Station, revealing both the physical and emotional hardships astronauts face for space exploration.

In 2033, the first human mission to Mars enters the red planet's atmosphere but the crew of the Daedalus faces a life-threatening emergency when the ship's landing system goes offline. The crew's commander risks his life to fix the problem as mission control monitors back on Earth. In the present-day documentary, SpaceX attempts to land the world's first reusable rocket in order to pioneer the critical technology that will help humans reach Mars.

EXPEDITION MARS brings to life one of the greatest sagas of the Space Age - the epic struggle to get the Spirit and Opportunity rovers safely to Mars, and their astounding journeys of exploration once they finally got there.

"Before MARS" tells the dramatic backstory of Hana and Joon Seung, identical twin sisters who will grow up to be central characters in the upcoming global event series, "MARS" on the National Geographic Channel. Set in the present day, "Before MARS" focuses on the young twins' move to a small town and the events that will one day inspire Hana to join humankind's first expedition to another planet.