The name for a partner who is involved in a queerplatonic relationship, as in he's my zucchini.
Curiosity, a rover that's exploring Mars as of 2014, has a top ground speed of 1.5 inches per second, or about 0.1 mph. Curiosity landed on Mars on Aug. 5, 2012.
It is possible to get to Mars in less time, but this would require you to burn your rocket engines longer, using more fuel. With current rocket technology, this isn't really feasible. In the nine months it takes to get to Mars, Mars moves a considerable distance around in its orbit, about 3/8 of the way around the Sun. You have to plan ahead to make sure that by the time you reach the distance of Mar's orbit, that Mars is where you need it to be! Practically, this means that you can only begin your trip when Earth and Mars are properly lined up.