News broke today that the Trump administration will ask for a 50 percent cut in NASA’s Space Science Directorate budget for FY 2026. These cuts will almost certainly entail the shutting down of the Mars Curiosity rover, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Voyager and New Horizon interstellar probes, among others, and derail almost all plans for future American planetary exploration and astronomy missions. The Mars Society stands 100 percent in opposition to this brutal attempt to wreck American space science…. READ MORE >
News & Announcements
March 6th, 2025
High Schoolers, Ready to Conquer Mars? Join the 2025 Mission to Mars Engineering Design Competition!
The Mars Society is very proud to launch its Fourth Annual International Mission to Mars Engineering Design Competition for high school students aged 13-19 worldwide. This exciting virtual program invites students to take on a hands-on design challenge and explore the future of Mars exploration. Running Monday through Friday from June 9 – July 18, 2025, the program features lectures and workshops led by top scientists and engineers from NASA, the aerospace industry, and global academia. Participants will design a… READ MORE >
February 28th, 2025
Join the Journey: 2025 Int’l Mars Society Convention – Mars: The Time Has Come!
Get ready, Mars enthusiasts! The 2025 International Mars Society Convention is set for Thursday-Saturday, October 9–11 at USC (University of Southern California) in Los Angeles—its 28th year as the premier global conference on Mars exploration, human settlement planning, and cutting-edge space technologies. As the U.S. government announces its intention to make a near-term human mission to Mars the central goal of America’s space program, the convention’s theme “Mars: The Time has Come” will be right on target. Join leading scientists,… READ MORE >
February 23rd, 2025
Join Dr. Robert Zubrin for a Special Episode of Red Planet Live!
The vision of sending humans to Mars is closer than ever, with both private and government-led initiatives making serious progress. Organizations like NASA, SpaceX, and international space agencies are actively developing the technology and strategies to make interplanetary travel a reality. But getting there requires more than just innovation—it demands consistent funding, policy stability, and global collaboration to ensure long-term success. To explore these challenges and opportunities, the Mars Society’s Red Planet Live podcast is convening a special episode with Dr. Robert Zubrin, the organization’s president and founder. Join us on Tuesday, March 4th… READ MORE >
February 10th, 2025
Jim Cantrell Joins Red Planet Live: A Discussion on Space & Exploration
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Jim Cantrell, a renowned space entrepreneur and founding team member of SpaceX, will be the featured guest on the next episode of Red Planet Live (Feb. 18, 5pm PST) with host Ashton Zeth. Jim has played a pivotal role in the space industry, founding Phantom Space, Vector, and StratSpace, and contributing to 46+ satellite flight missions, including Iridium Next, Lightsail solar sail, and Osiris-Rex asteroid return. His extensive experience includes work with… READ MORE >
January 31st, 2025
[R.Zubrin Op-Ed] The Mars Dream Is Back — Here’s How to Make It Actually Happen
By Dr. Robert Zubrin, The New Atlantis, 01.31.25 Between SpaceX’s breakthroughs and Trump’s inaugural promise, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity. But it can’t be realized as an eccentric’s project or a pork banquet. Here’s a science-driven program that could get astronauts on the Red Planet by 2031. America now has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to open the space frontier by initiating a sustained program of human exploration of Mars. Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship launch system will soon be operational, offering payload… READ MORE >
January 29th, 2025
Shelli Brunswick Joins RPL Podcast: Insights on Space Innovation & Leadership
The Mars Society is excited to announce that Shelli Brunswick, a globally renowned leader and speaker connecting the space community with the wider public to foster collaboration and innovation, will be the next guest on the Red Planet Live (RPL) podcast, hosted by Ashton Zeth. Tune in on Tuesday, February 4th, at 5:00 PM PST. Ms. Brunswick’s distinguished career includes her service in the U.S. Air Force, where she led space acquisition and policy initiatives, and her role as COO of Space… READ MORE >
January 28th, 2025
Space Robotics Leader Says Humans Will Soon Join Robots on Moon, Mars
Forbes, a renowned international magazine, covers a recent Red Planet Live podcast interview, hosted by Ashton Connaughton (Zeth), featuring Dr. Kris Zacny, VP of Honeybee Robotics, a Blue Origin Company, as he discusses plans for human and robotic exploration of the Moon and Mars. By Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes, 01.26.25 One of the globe’s top designers of space robots says a new “Golden Age of Space Exploration” – spearheaded by the world’s twin Titans of spaceflight – will speed up… READ MORE >
