Author: Michael Stoltz

Posts by Michael Stoltz

2023 Mars Society Poster Contest Winner

Let’s give a BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE to the winner of the 2023 Mars Society Poster Contest – Cole Pazar! Cole’s creative design, incorporating the theme “Mars for All“, will be used in a variety of ways to promote the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for October 5-8 at Arizona State University in Tempe. Based in southern California, Cole serves as a Starship Avionics Development Technician for SpaceX and states as one of his goals to “try to… READ MORE >

Mars Society’s Robert Zubrin to Make Special Announcement on Red Planet Live Podcast

Dr. Robert Zubrin, President and founder of the Mars Society, will be making a special announcement during his upcoming appearance on the organization’s Red Planet Live (RPL) podcast, set for Wednesday, September 6th at 5:00 pm PT / 8:00 pm ET.  In addition to being the leading global advocate of humans to Mars, Dr. Zubrin is a respected aerospace engineer and prominent author and was the driving force behind the concept of Mars Direct – a proposal intended to produce significant reductions in the cost… READ MORE >

Austrian Space Forum’s Gernot Grömer to Discuss Mars Analog Research at Mars Society Convention

With the fast-paced growth of Mars analog facilities and related research around the world, the Mars Society has invited Dr. Gernot Grömer, Founder and Administrative Director of the Austrian Space Forum, to give a plenary talk during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention this October on the topic of “AMADEE-24: A 25-Nation Mars Analog Mission in the Caucasus Mountains.” Established in 1998, ASF (or Österreichisches Weltraum Forum in German) is an organization involving experts in the field of analog research… READ MORE >

Mongolian Chapter Delegation to Attend & Present at Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that a delegation from the MARS-V Project, the official Mongolian chapter of the Mars Society, will attend and present at the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention October 5-8 at Arizona State University (Tempe). Senior members of the visiting MARS-V group will give presentations during the convention about planning for the Gobi Desert-based Mars analog station, discussing the most recent technical developments and module program developments for MARS-V.   Partially due to the… READ MORE >

ASU’s Greg Autry to Evaluate NASA Science Budget during Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Greg Autry of the Arizona State University Thunderbird School of Global Management (TSGM) will give a plenary talk about the current state of NASA’s science budget and its likely impact on future plans for space exploration during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention this October at ASU (Tempe). A Clinical Professor and Director of TSGM’s Thunderbird Initiative for Space Leadership, Policy, and Business and an Affiliate Professor with ASU’s Interplanetary… READ MORE >

Students to Debate ‘Mars or Bust?’ at 2023 Mars Society Convention

During the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention, set for October 5-8, 2023 at Arizona State University (Tempe), the Mars Society and Debate to Educate will be convening the final round of a special debate held virtually on the issue of “Mars or Bust?” involving middle school and high school students from around the world. Debate to Educate, a prominent non-profit group that organizes international educational debates, and the Mars Society have scheduled a series of online debates on whether… READ MORE >

Mars Society Convention to Host First Annual Analog Research Poster Contest

The Mars Society announced today that it will be holding the First Annual Analog Research Poster Contest during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention, set for October 5-8, 2023 at Arizona State University (Tempe). Organizers are inviting all Mars analog scientists and crew members to submit their research in poster form for consideration. Unlike traditional events, those participating in the contest will not be required to attend the conference in person, but instead can just forward their poster design…. READ MORE >

RPL Podcast to Welcome Rover Challenge Panel to Next Episode

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Kevin Sloan, Director of the Mars Society’s University Rover Challenge (URC), and several student team participants will be joining Red Planet Live host Ashton Zeth on Tuesday, August 15th (5:00 pm PT) to talk about the recent rover competition held in Utah, robotics, and STEM education. Launched in 2006, URC is the world’s premier robotics competition consistently drawing talented and promising university students from around the world. Held annually in the desert of… READ MORE >

Update about Mongolia’s Partnership with the Mars Society & Its Growing Involvement in Space

The Mars Society is pleased to bring you several updates about the growing partnership between the Mars Society and Mongolia’s MARS-V Project, an initiative in Mongolia to build the next Mars analog simulation station in the Gobi Desert. The MARS-V Project has recently become the Mars Society’s first official chapter in Mongolia. This new initiative signifies the country’s alignment with a global community of scientists, researchers and space enthusiasts. As one of the coldest and most inhospitable deserts on Earth,… READ MORE >

NASA MEP Deputy Director Tiffany Morgan to Address Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Tiffany M. Morgan, Deputy Director of the Mars Exploration Program in NASA’s Science Directorate, will be giving a plenary address during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention at Arizona State University (Tempe), set for October 5-8, 2023. The title of her talk will be “Exploring Mars Together, DRAFT Plan for a Sustainable Future for Science at Mars”. In her current role at the agency, Ms. Morgan provides program leadership in exploring… READ MORE >

Back on Mars! Crew Arrives at FMARS on Devon Island for 4-Week Mission

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Crew 15 has safely arrived on Devon Island in northern Canada to begin a four-week mission at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) involving scientific testing and field studies, along with repair and maintenance work on the main hab. The crew, a five-person multi-national team from the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, will spend the first week at FMARS working to upgrade the facility, with the remaining days used… READ MORE >

Scientist Wolfgang Fink to Outline Mars Cave & Lava Tube Exploration & Comms during Mars Society Convention

With growing interest among the global scientific community in investigating caves and lava tubes on the Red Planet, the Mars Society has invited Dr. Wolfgang Fink, a senior researcher from the University of Arizona and CalTech, to give a plenary talk about this field of exploration during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention October 5-8, 2023 at Arizona State University (Tempe). The title of Dr. Fink’s plenary address during the convention will be: “To boldly go where no robot… READ MORE >

Multi-National Crew to Visit FMARS (Canada) for Upgrade Work & Science Mission

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that a five-person crew will be visiting the organization’s Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) on Devon Island in northern Canada in mid-July 2023 in order to reactivate the facility and conduct a two-week simulation in one of the most Mars-like environments on Earth just 900 miles from the North Pole. A multi-national team from the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, designated as Crew 15, will spend approximately 7-10 days working… READ MORE >

2023 Mars Society Convention to Welcome Honeybee Robotics VP Kris Zacny

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Kris Zacny, Vice President and Director of Exploration Technology at Honeybee Robotics, will address the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention (October 5-8 at Arizona State University) about robotic space exploration and mining. Honeybee Robotics is a prominent R&D engineering company that creates advanced robotic systems for the most demanding environments and applications, both on Earth and in space. Industries served include spacecraft, planetary exploration, defense robotics, medical devices, mining, oil and gas,… READ MORE >

Popular Science Communicator Emily Calandrelli to Join Red Planet Live

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Emily Calandrelli (widely known as The Space Gal), a popular science communicator, author, and television host-producer, will be joining our next Red Planet Live podcast on Tuesday, July 18th (4:30 pm PT / 7:30 pm ET). An MIT engineer turned Emmy-nominated science television personality, Emily is the host and co-executive producer of Emily’s Wonder Lab on Netflix, as well as a correspondent on Netflix’s Bill Nye Saves the World and host of… READ MORE >

Dean Cheng to Outline China Space Program at 2023 Mars Society Convention

With the growth of China’s space program in recent years and the potential for global competition in orbit and beyond, the Mars Society has invited Dean Cheng, senior advisor to the U.S. Institute of Peace’s China program, to give a plenary talk about Beijing and it plans for space exploration during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention October 5-8, 2023 at Arizona State University (Tempe). Mr. Cheng joined USIP from The Heritage Foundation, where he spent over a decade… READ MORE >

Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin to Speak in Kyiv & Cracow

Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin will speak on Sunday, June 18th at the InScience Conference in Kyiv. InScience is the largest science gathering held in Ukraine yearly. The theme of this year’s conference is “Science for Victory, Science to Rebuild Ukraine.” The title of Dr. Zubrin’s talk will be “Victory from Space.”  Following the talk, Dr. Zubrin will take part in a number of private meetings and do some press interviews as well. He and his wife Hope will… READ MORE >

[Updated] Registration for 2023 Mission to Mars Student Competition Extended

The Mars Society is launching its second annual International Mission to Mars Engineering Design Competition this summer for high school students from around the world. Students are encouraged to register online for this unique exploratory design challenge. Update: Please note that the deadline for registering for the 2023 Mission to Mars educational program has been extended until Friday, July 7th (5:00 pm MT), at which time student teams will be formed. Update: Both this year and last year’s Lectures are… READ MORE >

Red Planet Live to Welcome JWST’s Marcia Rieke to Discuss Astronomy & Answer Questions

The Mars Society’s Red Planet Live podcast is pleased to announce that Dr. Marcia Rieke, a senior investigator for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope currently in orbit above the Earth, will join the show on Tuesday, June 20th (5:00 pm PT / 8:00 pm ET) to talk about astronomy, the search for exoplanets, and other issues related to deep space exploration. Dr. Rieke is a Regents Professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona, with research interests including infrared observations… READ MORE >

Team Mountaineers Crowned URC2023 Champion!

After 3 days of incredible competition, the 2023 University Rover Challenge (URC2023) crowned a new champion, Team Mountaineers from West Virginia University in the U.S.! This was the first URC podium finish for Team Mountaineers, and the second consecutive victory by a team from the United States. Also for the second consecutive year Monash Nova Rover (Monash University, Australia) finished in second place. The BYU Mars Rover team from Brigham Young University (USA) finished in third place. Team Mountaineers (West… READ MORE >

[Op-Ed] A Declaration of Decadence

By Dr. Robert ZubrinQuillette, 05.30.23 The French historian Fernand Braudel remarks in Out of Italy that “decadence” is what occurs in a civilization when it rejects the ideas and ideals responsible for its origin and growth. In her recently published book, Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race, Mary-Jane Rubenstein, Professor of Religion and Science in Society at Wesleyan University, offers just such a bold rejection of everything that Western humanist civilization stands for or has ever stood for. If you… READ MORE >

SpaceFund Founder Rick Tumlinson to Address 2023 Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Rick Tumlinson, Founder of SpaceFund, Earthlight Foundation, Space Frontier Foundation, and New Worlds Institute, will give a plenary talk during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention at Arizona State University (Tempe), scheduled for October 5-8, 2023. Listed as one of the top 100 influential people in the global space field, Mr. Tumlinson is a true space visionary and entrepreneur, having helped coin the term “NewSpace” and worked to create the new… READ MORE >

Mars Society’s Telerobotic Mars Expedition Design Book Now Available Online

The Mars Society’s latest publication, “Telerobotic Mars Expedition Design: New Ways to Explore Mars”, a 152-page paperback / e-book published by Polaris Books and edited by Frank Crossman, is now available for purchase online at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.  In January 2022, the Mars Society announced the holding of an international contest – Telerobotic Mars Expedition Design Competition – for the best design plan of diverse teams of specialized robots using a 10-metric ton Mars lander, an essential requirement… READ MORE >

James Burk to Join Red Planet Live Days after MDRS Analog Mission

Red Planet Live will be welcoming James Burk, Mars Society Executive Director and veteran analog astronaut, to the show just days after the completion of Crew 261’s two-week simulation, which he is currently commanding at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah until May 13th. Join us three days later – Tuesday, May 16th (5:00 pm PT / 8:00 pm ET) – for another one-hour podcast episode hosted by Ashton Zeth to learn from James about his and the crew’s mission “on Mars”…. READ MORE >

Brightest Lights of NewSpace to Appear at ISDC in Texas May 25-28

The brightest lights of NewSpace are scheduled to appear in Frisco, Texas on May 25-28 at the National Space Society’s 2023 International Space Development Conference (ISDC). NSS’s annual space conference will bring together some of the best minds in space exploration, spaceflight technologies, development, and settlement planning. For the 2023 four-day event, this includes, among others, Dr. Bonnie Dunbar, retired NASA astronaut, engineer, and educator • Jared Isaacman, founder of Polaris Dawn and Mission Commander for the Inspiration4 orbital flight… READ MORE >