Fifteenth Annual INTERNATIONAL MARS SOCIETY CONVENTION

August 3-5, 2012 at the Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, California

The Mars Society was founded to further the human exploration and settlement of the Red Planet.  The International Mars Society Convention presents a unique opportunity for those interested in Mars to come together and discuss the technology, science, social implications, philosophy and a multitude of other aspects of Mars exploration. 

Highlights of the convention will include the latest results from the Opportunity, Mars Express, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Phoenix missions, with the climax being the landing of the Mars Science Lab Curiosity which will be witnessed live on the final evening of the convention.  Attendees will also get first-hand reports from the latest mission simulation at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island, 900 miles from the North Pole, and the eleventh season of the Mars Desert Research Station. 

There will also be extensive political discussions on how we can reverse the decision of the Obama administration to cancel the joint US-European Mars missions previously agreed to for flight in 2016 and 2018, and moving beyond that, take the offensive to turn NASA’s now chaotic space policy into a real exploration initiative that can get humans to the Red Planet in our time. 

The agenda will also include a wide assortment of panels and debates concerning key issues bearing on Mars exploration and settlement, a banquet with lots of fun entertainment, and plenary addresses from many prominent leaders of the effort to get humans to Mars. Prior events have drawn thousands of participants from all over the world.  This year’s convention should be the most exciting event to date.

Convention Sessions

1. The question of life on Mars
2. Latest findings from the Mars probes
3. Plans for the missions of 2013 and beyond
4. Concepts for future robotic Mars missions
5. Plans for human Mars missions
6. Advanced propulsion
7. Launch vehicles for Mars exploration
8. Long range mobility on Mars
9. Life support and biomedical factors
10. Human factors and crew composition
11. In-situ resource utilization
12. The Curiosity mission
13. Martian agriculture/aquaculture technology
14. The First Martians, a permanent base on Mars
15. Terraforming – Creating an ecology for Mars
16. How Martian technology can help life on Earth
17. Technologies for reaching the stars
18. Analog studies relating to Mars exploration
19. The Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station            
20. The Mars Desert Research Station
21. The one-way mission to Mars
22. Rovers, robots and mobile agents; technology to assist human exploration
23. Entrepreneurial approaches to Mars mission
24. The benefits of space exploration for humanity
25. Public policy for Mars exploration
26. Concepts for privately funded Mars missions
27. International cooperation and agencies
28. Law, governance, and social systems for Mars
29. Why Mars?
30. Philosophical implications of Mars exploration
31. Educating the next generation of Marsonauts
32. Asteroid Missions: A Bridge to Mars?
33. Political action
34. Chapter tools and outreach strategies
35. Proposed projects for the Mars Society
36. University Rover Challenge
37. Religion and space exploration
38. Phobos and Deimos: Mars Moon missions

Call for Papers

Presentations for the Mars Society Convention are invited, dealing with all matters (science, engineering, politics, economics, public policy, etc.) associated with the human exploration and settlement of Mars.  Abstracts of no more than 300 words should be sent by June 30, 2012 to: The Mars Society, 11111 West 8th Ave., unit A, Lakewood, CO 80215 or via email to: Marsabstracts@aol.com. (E-mail submissions are preferred.)

Convention registration is now open online at or may also be done by using the form below.

Fifteenth Annual INTERNATIONAL MARS SOCIETY CONVENTION

August 3-5, 2012 at the Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, California

Convention Registration Form   (Please print clearly)

 

Name: ________________________________________________  

 

Address: _____________________________________________________________________

 

City: _____________________ State: __________ Zip: _______ Country: ___________________

 

Email address: ______________________________________________

 

Type of registration (please circle amount):

Mars Society members:       Regular before 6/30/12:                 $150    after 6/30/12:   $210

                                                  Student/senior before 6/30/12:     $40      after 6/30/12:   $70

Non-members/expired:        Regular before 6/30/12:                 $210    after 6/30/12:   $270 

                                                  Student/senior before 6/30/12:     $70      after 6/30/12:   $105   

Banquet ticket (student/senior) - $50, (child 10 and under)-    $25    Regular registration includes banquet.

 

If you are not a member, you can save money by joining now.  $50 for regular membership, $25 student/senior

Total charges: Convention registration and/or membership: _________________

Payment method: Check/MO _____ Credit Card _____

Credit Card Type: ________________ CC#:  ____________________________ Expiration Date:___________

Name on Card ___________________________ Signature____________________________________

Please mail your registration to: The Mars Society, 11111 West 8th Ave., unit A, Lakewood, CO 80215

Or fax to 303-980-0753.  

Rooms at the Pasadena Sheraton are now available to convention attendees at a special discounted rate of $99 / night for single or double occupancy.  To reserve a room, please call Tel. 626-449-4000 or visit the hotel web site.