Students from an all-girls school in Daska, Pakistan, recently joined the Mars Society’s educational initiatives under the guidance of Director of Education, Nicole Willett. This family-funded charity school, which serves girls from playgroup to 12th grade in underserved communities, embraced the program to broaden students’ horizons and ignite their imaginations. Two middle school teams have been selected to build miniature Martian habitats. Team 1, led by Miss Momina and Miss Chashman, includes students Hamna, Aqsa, Aysha, Sana, and Seemab. Team… READ MORE >
News & Announcements
The Mars Society is proud to announce that Sergii Iakymov, Director of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), has successfully completed a 45-day NASA simulated Mars mission at the HERA (Human Exploration Research Analog) facility, located at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The mission, which ran from August 9 to September 23, is a vital part of NASA’s efforts to better understand the physical and psychological challenges astronauts may face during long-duration space missions. Sergii was selected alongside three… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is excited to announce that Eric Berger, Senior Space Editor at Ars Technica and author of the acclaimed books “Liftoff” and his latest, “Reentry”, will be the next guest on the Red Planet Live podcast, hosted by Ashton Zeth, on Tuesday, Oct. 15th at 5pm PT! Eric will discuss “Reentry” and the development of SpaceX’s reusable rockets, focusing on their role in making space travel more affordable. With extensive expertise in aerospace and space policy, Eric will… READ MORE >
The Mars Technology Institute (MTI) announced today that it is launching a global competition to demonstrate radically more efficient methods of food production needed to support the human settlement of the Red Planet. MTI is calling its contest the Mars Against Hunger (MAH) Prize because the technologies it aims to develop could go a long way towards ending the age-old scourge of hunger on Earth. There is no technological challenge in providing food for a Mars exploration expedition. Human explorers… READ MORE >
While our amazing host Ashton Zeth enjoys a well-deserved vacation in early October, our Red Planet Live podcast will feature a special series of short, recorded interviews with six leading experts who spoke at the 27th Annual International Mars Society Convention in Seattle this past August. The taped show will air beginning on Tuesday, October 1st at 5:00 pm PT / 8:00 pm ET. Featured guests include: – Howard Hu, Orion Program Director, NASA – Artemis Program & Returning to… READ MORE >
By Shriya Sawant, Guest Writer, Red Planet Bound, 09.19.24 A heated point of contention between space advocates and environmental advocates can be summarized by one succinct phrase: whether to “Save Earth or Settle Mars”. You might also recognize the phrase “Save Earth and Then Go to Mars,” or vice versa “Why Going to Space will Save Humanity” across many articles, tweets, and blogs. However, a fallacy in all of these statements is that they depict sustainability movements and space exploration… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is excited to announce that its president, Dr. Robert Zubrin, will join Red Planet Live on Thursday, September 19th (5:00 pm PT / 8:00 pm ET) to discuss the organization’s new nation-wide campaign urging Congress to ask NASA to develop a plan for landing humans on Mars within the next 10 years. Hosted by Ashton Zeth, the live podcast will offer insights into this bold initiative. The Mars Society has drafted a proposed Mars Exploration Act, requiring… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is very pleased to announce the appointment of Ben Stanley as the organization’s new Analog Research Program Director. Currently serving as the Assistant Director of the organization’s Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah, Ben brings a wealth of experience and passion for space exploration to this pivotal role. In his new position, Ben will collaborate closely with senior officials of the Mars Society to enhance overall science initiatives and implement program-level improvements. This includes developing comprehensive… READ MORE >
The Mars Society announced today that it is beginning a nationwide grassroots campaign to get Congress to pass legislation compelling the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to produce a plan to get humans to Mars within a decade. As part of the campaign, the Mars Society has drawn up a draft Mars Exploration Act requiring NASA to produce a plan, and mobilizing its chapters across the nation to meet with their representatives and Senators in their home offices to explain… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is excited to announce that Kirsten Whittingham, President of Max Space and a distinguished veteran in the aerospace industry, will be the featured guest on the September 3rd episode of Red Planet Live. Hosted by Ashton Zeth, this 60-minute RPL broadcast will explore the cutting-edge developments in space habitats and the future of space exploration. Max Space is at the forefront of designing and manufacturing affordable, high-fidelity expandable space habitats. These innovative structures are set to revolutionize… READ MORE >
My name is Nicole Willett, Director of Education Programs at the Mars Society, the world’s largest humans-to-Mars advocacy group. We are excited to offer a comprehensive STEM curriculum designed for all grade levels (K-12) and are looking for teachers to implement these projects and activities in their classrooms—completely free of charge! Understanding the challenges of tight budgets, we’re providing these resources at no cost. All we ask in return is for your feedback on the activities via a brief Google… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is proud to announce that Team Aspera, an exceptional multi-national student team, has claimed the top spot in the Third Annual International Mission to Mars Engineering Design Competition. The winning team, comprised of Anay Ashwin (Australia), Tanay Naik (U.S.), Nidhi Mandrekar (U.S.), and Leonardo Berlinski (Italy), achieved an outstanding score of 91.67/100 in this prestigious global challenge. This year’s competition, which took place from June 3rd to July 12th, 2024, challenged high school students aged 13-19 to… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that the next episode of its Red Planet Live podcast will air on Wednesday, August 21st, at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 pm ET. This show will feature interviews with two prominent leaders in the organization’s educational outreach: Nicole Willett, the Mars Society’s Director of Education Programs, and Jen Carver-Hunter, master teacher and crew commander of the NASA-funded Spaceward Bound Utah program. Nicole Willett has been the driving force behind the Mars Society’s… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is delighted to announce that celebrated opera soloist Oscar Castellino will debut the new composition “Mars Pensiero” at the upcoming 2024 International Mars Society Convention. This highly anticipated event will be held at the University of Washington Seattle, with the performance taking place during the Saturday evening banquet on August 10th. The composition, set to music by legendary Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, features lyrics co-authored by Mr. Castellino and Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin. The Stuti… READ MORE >
Science, tech & space enthusiasts, unite! Join us for an out-of-this-world evening at the Space & Time Networking Night 🚀, part of the 2024 International Mars Society Convention at UW Seattle. Co-hosted by the Mars Society and Seattle Space Happy Hour, this event will take place on Friday, August 10th, from 7:00-9:00pm at the Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture, an intimate setting surrounded by pre-historic dinosaur fossils. It’s your chance to rub elbows with fellow space geeks, chat… READ MORE >
Get ready for an exciting episode of Red Planet Live! On Tuesday, August 6th (5pm PT / 8pm ET), join us for an in-depth look into the Mars Society’s Ambassador Program, led by its newly appointed director and RPL host Ashton Zeth. This 60-minute live broadcast will feature a panel of esteemed guests including James Melton, the founder of the program and Chief Ambassador Emeritus, along with international program representatives Nasir Rizwan (Pakistan), Jonathan Adler (Australia), and Emmanuel Kyei Twumasi… READ MORE >
We are very excited to share that our own Sergii Iakymov, Director of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), has been chosen to join a 45-day NASA simulated Mars mission (Aug. 9 – Sept. 23) at the HERA analog facility at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Congratulations, Sergii! We wish you and your crew an incredible experience on your mission “to Mars!” NASA Research Volunteers to Begin Next Simulated Mission to Mars [NASA Announcement, 07.22.24] NASA selected a new team… READ MORE >
The Annual International Mars Society Convention features plenary talks and panel discussions with top experts in Mars and space exploration, the commercial space industry, technological development, and space advocacy. To give more enthusiastic professional & non-professional speakers a chance to participate, the Mars Society also includes 30-minute track talk presentations during afternoon sessions. This year’s event will showcase several dozen track talk speakers, such as: – Angelina Tsuboi: Architecting Marsnet: Interplanetary Internet Design for Mars and Beyond – Jay Garg:… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is excited to announce that a major panel discussion on NASA’s current and future Mars exploration plans will take place (virtually) on Friday, August 9th at 10:00 am PT / 1:00 pm ET as part of the 27th Annual International Mars Society Convention. Amid the growing complexities of Mars exploration, NASA is concentrating on several key areas: deploying robotic exploratory systems (rovers, landers, and orbiters), returning Martian rock and soil samples to Earth, and designing infrastructure for… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is excited to announce that Dr. Agnieszka Wendland, an Assistant Professor at Warsaw University of Technology, will be delivering a (virtual) plenary talk at the 27th Annual International Mars Society Convention this August. Her presentation, titled “The First Tree on Mars,” is part of a new multi-authored research project led by NASA’s Dr. Chris McKay. The project explores the possibility of warming the Red Planet by increasing its CO2 density and introducing greenhouse gases like perfluorocarbons (PFCs),… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is very pleased to announce the safe return of Crew 16 (Arctic Wolves), an international team of seven scientists, who have completed their mission at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island. Following several days of weather delays, the crew finally departed the island and arrived safely in Resolute Bay, Nunavut Territory earlier today. Taking advantage of their brief time in Resolute Bay, the crew enjoyed much-needed showers and a hearty meal before boarding a… READ MORE >
On July 9th, Crew 16 concluded their final full day of simulation at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island with two extended analog expeditions, marking a significant milestone in their mission. In the morning, the crew focused on geological and environmental tasks. They successfully collected breccia rocks, which are known for their fragmented texture, and water samples from various locations around the Haughton Crater. These samples will be essential for studying the geological history and current environmental conditions… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Michaela Musilova will be joining the 60-minute Red Planet Live podcast, hosted by Ashton Zeth, on Tuesday, July 16th, at 6:30 PM PT / 9:30 PM ET – 90 minutes later than the usual time slot. Dr. Musilova is a distinguished astrobiologist, explorer, analog astronaut (including Commander of MDRS Crew 173), science communicator, keynote speaker, and author. Her impressive resume includes conducting space-related research at NASA, ESA, CalTech, University College London,… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Jeremiah Pate, Founder and CEO of Lunasonde, will deliver a plenary address on “Mining Space Rocks” at the 27th International Mars Society Convention this August at the University of Washington in Seattle. An entrepreneur and visionary in space resource exploration, Mr. Pate and his team are pioneering ways to secure critical minerals for humanity while preserving our planet from the impacts of traditional mining. Lunasonde is paving a new path for accessing… READ MORE >
Crew 16 (Arctic Wolves) officially began their simulation on Saturday (July 6th) at the Mars Society’s Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island in Nunavut territory. Located near the 20-kilometer wide Haughton Crater, formed by a massive meteorite impact 31 million years ago, the analog station serves as an ideal environment for Mars mission simulations. Led by Dr. Ilaria Cinelli, the 7-person international team is conducting important research and field studies to help prepare future astronauts for exploring the… READ MORE >