The Mars Society is proud to announce the results of the 2025 International Mission to Mars Design Engineering Competition for high school students. This year’s contest brought together outstanding teams of young innovators from around the world to design future human missions to the Red Planet. “We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of the students, mentors, and judges who dedicated their time, energy, and creativity to making this year’s competition such a success,” said Nicole Willett, Mars Society Education… READ MORE >
News & Announcements
August 22nd, 2025
Shaping the Future of Space Policy – Dr. Bhavya Lal Joins Red Planet Live
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Bhavya Lal, professor of Space Policy at the RAND School of Public Policy and former NASA Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy, and Strategy, will be the featured guest on our next Red Planet Live podcast. The program will take place on Tuesday, September 2nd at 5:00 pm PT and will be hosted by Ashton Zeth. Dr. Lal has had a remarkable career in space leadership and policy, having served as the… READ MORE >
August 14th, 2025
From Runways to Rockets: Matt Gjertsen’s Lessons in Leadership & Innovation
We’re thrilled to announce that Matt Gjertsen—graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, former Air Force Instructor Pilot with over 2,500 flight hours, and past head of training & development at SpaceX—will join our next Red Planet Live podcast on Tuesday, August 19th at 5pm PT! Now founder of Better Every Day Studios and a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserves supporting Space Systems Command, Matt brings 20 years of experience leading high-performing teams worldwide. He’s worked with organizations… READ MORE >
August 8th, 2025
Mars Society Concludes Successful 2025 Arctic Analog Mission on Devon Island
The Mars Society has announced the successful completion of its 2025 Arctic analog mission at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station, located on Devon Island in Nunavut Territory. Titled “From Pole to Pole and Back Again,“ the five-week expedition, conducted throughout July and early August, demonstrated the resilience, adaptability, and scientific capacity of human teams operating in one of Earth’s most Mars-like environments. The mission was designed as a Mars analog—simulating the conditions of future human exploration on the Red… READ MORE >
August 6th, 2025
Red Planet Live Podcast Returns on Aug. 12th with Legendary Space Journalist Leonard David!
Leonard David brings over 50 years of experience covering space—from the earliest robotic planetary probes to the emerging private space economy. Best known as Space.com’s Space Insider Columnist, he has reported for SpaceNews, Scientific American, Aerospace America, and more. He’s the author of key works like Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet (2016), Moon Rush: The New Space Race (2019), and Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration (co‑authored with Apollo 11’s Buzz Aldrin). Leonard is also the… READ MORE >
August 3rd, 2025
Mars Society joins Protoplanet towards establishment of Mars analogue training environment in Ladakh
A significant international collaboration is underway in the high-altitude terrain of Ladakh, India, aimed at establishing a sophisticated Mars analogue research and training environment. This initiative sees the Mars Society and its active chapter, Mars Society Australia, formally joining efforts, with Protoplanet serving as the organization facilitating and coordinating the project alongside other national and international partners. The project will leverage years of expertise gained from helping develop and operate facilities like the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah… READ MORE >
July 13th, 2025
Rebooting Mars: Preparing Flashline Station on Devon Island for the Next Frontier
We just wrapped up an unforgettable week at the Mars Society’s Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island in Nunavut Territory, 900 miles from the North Pole—one of the most Mars-like places on Earth. As part of the 2025 Advance One Crew, our mission was to bring the station back online after a long Arctic winter and get it ready for the arrival of Crews 17 and 18, which will be conducting analog simulations at Flashline later this summer…. READ MORE >
July 10th, 2025
Voices from the Void: How Space Communicators Are Inspiring a New Generation
Curious about who’s making space exciting, accessible, and just plain cool for the rest of us? Join us on Tuesday, July 15 at 4:00 PM PT [1-hour earlier than usual] for a special live episode of Red Planet Live, where we’ll be diving into the world of space communication with some of the most dynamic voices in the field. Hosted by Ashton Zeth, this one-hour livestream will feature a stellar panel including Camille “The Galactic Gal” Bergin, Susan Martinez, and… READ MORE >
