The 23rd Annual International Mars Society Convention - The Mars Society

The 23rd Annual International Mars Society Convention

“Rising Together”

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that the 23rd Annual International Mars Society Convention will be convened Thursday-Sunday, October 15-18, 2020, all over the world via the Internet!

Through the use of unique technology, it will be possible to not only hold presentations, panel discussions and debates, but also to allow people from around the world to participate, posing questions and interacting with one another, creating a virtual global convention of a type never seen before.

The Mars Society’s four-day international conference will bring together leading scientists, government policymakers, commercial space executives, science journalists and space advocates to discuss the latest scientific and technological developments and challenges related to the human and robotic exploration of Mars and the eventual human settlement of the Red Planet.

How to Access the Convention

Register Now (Free Registration!)

Donation Page – A $50 donation is requested to support our organization’s programs.

Official Schedule

[New!] Abstract Book

Sponsorship Opportunities

“Rising Together” Poster contest won by Samer El-Sayary.

Page’s background image courtesy Smithsonian Institution.

Confirmed Speakers

Dr. Farah Alibay, PhD

Systems Engineer, Mars InSight Mission, JPL/NASA

J. Bob Balaram

Chief Engineer, Ingenuity (Mars copter), NASA

Barbara Belvisi

Founder & CEO, Interstellar Lab, Inc.

Nick Booth

Co-Author, "The Search for Life on Mars"

Jim Bridenstine

NASA Administrator

Oscar Castellino

Opera Singer and Creator of the Mars Anthem "Rise to Mars"

Dean Cheng

Senior Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation

Angela Cui

Director, Mars Society China

Dr. Peter H. Diamandis

Founder & Executive Chairman, X-Prize Foundation

Dr. Abigail Fraeman

Deputy Project Scientist, Curiosity Rover Mission, JPL/NASA

Aliya Grig

Founder, Cosmos Center & Space Visionary

Dr. Michael Griffin

Former Administrator, NASA

Dr. John M. Grunsfeld

Former Astronaut & Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA

Dr. Michael Hecht

Principal Investigator, MOXIE, Mars Perseverance Mission, NASA

Elizabeth Howell

Co-Author, "The Search for Life on Mars"

Kolemann Lutz

Co-Founder, MarsU

Taber MacCallum

The Space Perspective

Kelvin Manning

Associate Director, Kennedy Space Center, NASA

Dr. Chris McKay

Senior Planetary Scientist & Astrobiologist, Ames Research Center, NASA

Dr. Sarah Milkovich

Lead Science Systems Engineer, Mars Perseverance Mission, JPL/NASA

Dr. Mark Panning

Project Scientist & Co-Investigator, Mars InSight Mission, JPL/NASA

Dr. David Poston

Lead, Compact Fission Reactor Design Team, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Dr. Nathan Putzig

Senior Scientist, Planetary Science Institute

Dr. Shannon Rupert

Director, Mars Desert Research Station, The Mars Society

Kevin Sloan

Director, University Rover Challenge, The Mars Society

Ron Sparkman

Founder, Stardom, & Chief Curiosity Correspondent, Space Foundation Discovery Center

Anastasia Stepanova

Engineer, Institute of Biomedical Problems, Crew Member, SIRIUS & Mars160 Missions

Dr. Alan Stern

Principal Investigator, New Horizons Mission, NASA

Dr. Carol Stoker

Senior Planetary Scientist, Ames Research Center, NASA

Rick Tumlinson

Founding Partner, Space Fund

Nicole Willett

Science Educator & Mars Society Steering Committee Member

Dr. Tom Williams

Element Scientist, Human Factors & Behavioral Performance, NASA

Yonatan Winetraub

Co-Founder, SpaceIL

Dr. S. Pete Worden

Executive Director, Breakthrough Starshot, & Former Director, Ames Research Center, NASA

Vandi Verma

Supervisor, Operable Robotics, Mars Perseverance / Mars Curiosity

George Whitesides

Chief Space Officer, Virgin Galactic

Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides

Co-Creator, Yuri's Night, & Author

Dr. Robert Zubrin

President, The Mars Society

Past Conventions

Poster Winner - The 24th Annual International Mars Society Convention

October 15th-17th, 2021
Virtual Convention

Poster Winner - The 23rd Annual International Mars Society Convention

October 15th-19th, 2020
Virtual Convention

Poster Winner - The 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention

October 17-20, 2019
University of Southern California

Poster Winner - The 21st Annual International Mars Society Convention

August 23-26, 2018
Pasadena Convention Center

Poster Winner - The 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention

September 7 - 10, 2017
University of California, Irvine

Poster Winner - The 19th Annual International Mars Society Convention

September 22–25, 2016
Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.