News & Announcements

By Robert Zubrin The Weekly Standard, 02.16.18 On February 6, 2018, the SpaceX Falcon Heavy took flight, demonstrating a capacity to lift 60 tons to low Earth orbit while playfully sending a Tesla Roadster on a trajectory that will take it beyond the orbit of Mars. To add to the coup, two of the Falcon’s three booster stages flew back to land gracefully together at the Cape, while the third barely missed pulling off a recovery landing on a drone… READ MORE >

Call for Papers 21st Annual International Mars Society Convention August 23-26, 2018, Pasadena Convention Center Presentations for the 21st Annual International Mars Society Convention are invited dealing with all matters (science, engineering, politics, economics, public policy, etc.) associated with the human exploration and settlement of the planet Mars. Abstracts of no more than 300 words should be sent by June 30, 2018 to: The Mars Society, 11111 West 8th Avenue, Unit A, Lakewood, CO 80215 or via email to: abstracts@marssociety.org… READ MORE >

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that the 21st Annual International Mars Society Convention will be convened August 23-26, 2018 at the picturesque Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California. The four-day international conference will bring together key scientists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, journalists and space advocates to discuss the significance of the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could impact on planning for the human exploration and settlement of the Red Planet. The Pasadena Convention Center is conveniently… READ MORE >

“Today SpaceX achieved a spectacular and historic success.  Seven years ago, the Augustine commission said that NASA’s Moon program had to be cancelled, because the development of the necessary heavy lift booster would take 12 years and 36 billion dollars. SpaceX has now done that, on its own dime, in half the time and a twentieth of the cost. And not only that, but the launch vehicle is three quarters reusable. This is a revolution. The naysayers have been completely… READ MORE >

New NASA images show layers of ice peeking out of eroded cliffs—a potential boon for future humans on the red planet. By Michael Greshko National Geographic, 01.11.18 At sites across the midsection of Mars, scientists have found layers of water ice buried mere feet beneath the red planet’s surface. The discovery adds crucial detail to Mars’s geologic history, and it may shape how future humans on Mars get their water. “This is a new window into ground ice on Mars,” says Colin Dundas,… READ MORE >

End of the Year Letter From Dr. Robert Zubrin Dear Friend, We live in interesting times with regard to human Mars exploration. I can’t remember a period in which the issue of humans-to-Mars has been so front and center, both in terms of significant progress being made with the actual Mars launch infrastructure, engineering and planning, as well as growing public discussion and excitement about the possibility of humans going to the Red Planet. Things are definitely happening, and the Mars… READ MORE >

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that we are finally able to offer student interns the opportunity to come to our Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) campus in Utah to work on projects related to their educational and career goals.  We are very excited to have another way for students dedicated to working in the space sector to gain valuable experience in human spaceflight and living on the Red Planet. These MDRS interns will not be part of a… READ MORE >

In Memoriam: Alain Souchier Alain Souchier, President and founding member of Association Planète Mars, the French chapter of the Mars Society, passed away on December 13th at the age of 70 as a consequence of severe cardiovascular problems that began a year ago. His close friend and collaborator, Richard Heidmann, provided the following comments about Alain and his life: A space propulsion engineer who graduated from the prestigious École Centrale Paris, Alain devoted his long career to the propulsion systems… READ MORE >

Get Involved – Project Mars Competition Join NASA’s Orion and Space Launch Systems teams and SciArt Exchange in visualizing humans venturing into deep space, to the Moon and beyond to Mars. Interested college students and early career professionals worldwide are invited to submit short films and graphic art about this mission, what astronauts may see, and their dreams for the future of exploration. Entries will be judged by film and graphics industry professionals and NASA astronauts. Winning entries will be… READ MORE >

New Engineering Module Added to Mars Simulation Station in Utah The Mars Society welcomes another addition to its Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) campus in southern Utah with the installation of its new Repair & Assembly Module (RAM) near the main hab. The new stand-alone facility will serve as an engineering bay for the station, allowing crew members to engage in research while also helping maintain the growing fleet of electric ATV vehicles. To learn more about MDRS and its… READ MORE >

Mars Society & #GivingTuesday #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.), #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving to non-profit organizations. Please remember the Mars Society next Tuesday (November 28th) and give as much as you can to our organization to help broaden our humans-to-Mars efforts, including Mars surface simulation programs, an annual Mars… READ MORE >

MDRS Crew 182 – Final Mission Report  The following is the final summary report of Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) Crew 182 (Team Peru V). A full review of this field season’s activities at MDRS will be presented at the 21st Annual International Mars Society Convention in 2018 (date and location to be announced in the near future). MDRS End of Mission Summary Crew 182 – Team Peru V Commander/GreenHab/Safety Officer: Atila Meszaros (Peru) Executive Officer/Crew Journalist/Scientist: Camila Castillo (Peru)… READ MORE >

[Video] A Close-Up Look at Simulated Living on the Red Planet The Mars Society is pleased to announce the release of a new short film entitled “Per Aspera Ad Astra” (“Through Difficulties to the Stars”) that provides a close-up look at the organization’s two long-running Mars surface simulation programs – the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah and the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) in Canada. The seven-minute film revolves around the recently completed Mars 160 mission, which… READ MORE >

As the world’s largest and most influential space advocacy group dedicated to the human exploration and settlement of the Red Planet, the Mars Society is working to expand its public outreach by establishing a chapter in the state of Utah. Chapter work typically involves hosting local meetings, setting up exhibits at high schools, colleges and conferences and organizing Mars-related STEM projects for students. Other ideas are welcomed, and individual chapters are always encouraged to be creative and follow their own… READ MORE >

Help Spread a Pro-Space Agenda on Capitol Hill Join the 2018 SEA Legislative Blitz This February The Space Exploration Alliance (SEA), a broad and influential network of major space advocacy groups, including the Mars Society, the Planetary Society, the National Space Society and Explore Mars, will be holding its annual Legislative Blitz in Washington, D.C. from February 25th thru 27th. The March-on-Capitol Hill campaign will allow dozens of pro-space volunteers from across the country to meet with members of Congress… READ MORE >

The Mars Society is calling on all Americans to urge their members of Congress to support the nomination of Jim Bridenstine as the next NASA administrator. A telecon to coordinate the campaign will be held Wednesday, September 20 at 8:30 pm EST (5:30 pm PST). Those interested in participating can call into the telecom at 563-999-2090 and offer passcode 438709# when prompted on their phone. After leaving the post of NASA administrator vacant for 8 months, in early September, President Trump nominated… READ MORE >

Final Thoughts Mars 160 Crew  Dear Martian Friends, If time is an infinite cord, we wanted to pinch it so that our tone could wave through the ages until one of you walks on the planet Mars for the first time in human history. Maybe you will look back in the past to understand what it took to make this singular moment to happen, and perhaps you will see us (and so many others). We were a group of people,… READ MORE >

Robert Zubrin: New NASA Administrator Appointee “A Good Choice” Mars Society Founder & President Dr. Robert Zubrin has called for the approval of Congressman Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) as the new NASA administrator. Bridenstine has focused heavily on space policy during his tenure in Congress, stating “[o]ur very way of life depends on space, the way we communicate, the way we navigate, the way we produce food and energy, the way we conduct banking.” In April 2016 at the 32nd Annual… READ MORE >

Hewlett Packard to Demonstrate VR Mission to Red Planet at Mars Society Convention The Mars Society is pleased to announce that representatives of Hewlett Packard (HP) will carry out a demonstration of their virtual reality mission to the Red Planet at the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention at the University of California Irvine September 7-10. In a special plenary talk on the morning of September 8th, HP will present their new Mars mission VR capabilities and describe a major Mars settlement STEM initiative… READ MORE >

Watch 2017 Mars Society Convention via Live Webcast The 2017 International Mars Society Convention, including plenary talks, panel discussions and public debates, will be broadcast via live webcast during the four-day conference (September 7-10). To watch live streaming of the Mars Society convention, please visit: http://stream.marssociety.org. For the full program itinerary, please check the Mars Society web site located at: www.marssociety.org…. READ MORE >

ONE WEEK until 2017 International Mars Society Convention There is still time to register online and get your tickets! Join us! In seven days, the Mars Society, the world’s largest and most influential Mars advocacy organization, will be marking its twentieth annual international convention dedicated to the study of and planning for human Mars exploration. This year’s conference will take place September 7-10 on the picturesque campus of the University of California Irvine. Leading scientists, engineers, aerospace industry representatives, government… READ MORE >

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that the official sheet music for the new Martian anthem “Rise to Mars” is now available online. The new song performed by world-renowned baritone Oscar Castellino has won acclaim in performances at concert halls from Wales to Bombay. “Rise to Mars” will be performed by Mr. Castellino, accompanied by James Welland, who arranged the music, at the Saturday evening banquet of the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention on September 9th at the… READ MORE >